


You wield compassion like a blade (its cuts too sharp)

by twinSky



Series: soralovemail [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Denial of Feelings, Domesticity, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Found Family, Gen, Give Sora Hugs Please, Hopeful Ending, Making Friends and Having Fun, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild depictions of Panic Attacks, Minor Character Death, Now featuring: more riveting content such as Sora Being A Regular Boy, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Worth Issues, an attempt with mild success, but i just think growing up in fusion/academia is fucked up, does carding count as character death?, in a non romantic sense, these tags are mainly to be on the safe side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 34,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24029980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twinSky/pseuds/twinSky
Summary: If you told Sora this is what caring about people was going to be like, he would have rather stayed an Academia soldier.-(Of course, that was a lie. If given the choice he’d betray Academia again for Yuzu and Yuya in a heartbeat, again and again without question.Sora had never been happier to be branded a failure, just as long as he was with them.)
Relationships: Hiiragi Yuzu & Shiunin Sora, Sakaki Yuya & Shiunin Sora, Sakaki Yuya & Shiunin Sora & Hiiragi Yuzu, Shiunin Sora & Original Characters, Shiunin Sora & Sakaki Yoko
Series: soralovemail [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851886
Comments: 16
Kudos: 26





	1. sow your seeds (it's from the ground up that we grow)

**Author's Note:**

> The mild depiction of panic attacks applies to both chapters. But I do mean Mild, to the point that if I did not mention it I'm not sure people would notice? I don't ever describe them in depth, but there are moments where if you look you can kind of see it happening. I'm not sure if it's something worth a warning, but I'll put it in to be safe.
> 
> Also found family isn't an ao3 tag? disgusting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is canon compliant in the sense that everything that happens in this fic does not directly (?) conflict with canon events. We go from pre-canon to post-canon here, and all the events of arc v happen exactly as they did in canon. However I will NOT say that there are not things that happen that are disproved by canon. I'll expand on this below but you don't have to read it, infact maybe don't until you've read it idk. Feel free too if you finish and have questions tho.
> 
> I deleted and added, and rewrote, and rephrased parts of this fic again and again to fit a narrative I wanted to write that still coincided with the facts canon gave us. I ended up finding this. exceptionally hard. simply because I couldn't find the information I wanted in some cases, the information I did find in others didn't make sense, or would find information after I'd already written a scene. There's also of course the speculation/headcanoning that goes with writing something like this but here are some general facts I placed when writing this;  
> -Academia age of entry is 11/2 years old. 14/5 years old is the age you can start being sent on missions. Yuri and Serena are exceptions to rule 1, Sora is an exception to rule 2.  
> -Most Obelisk Soldiers are graduates.  
> -For the sake of this fic timeline wise: XYZ invasions happens roughly 6 months before canon starts.  
> -Yuri and Sora have not met prior to canon but Sora knows about him. If any of this in contradicted by canon idk. Fight me.  
> -One thing I wrote that is contradicted by canon is that Sora mentions he was 'raised in Academia' um. I forgot about that and gave him a family but his childhood is no more happier for it so I assume it's fine.  
> -Also just. can ANYONE tell me how long Leo Akaba has been in Fusion for. If Sora was raised in Academia then it's been like that for at least as long as he's been alive. but why would Academia be that strict before hand. So for the sake of my own peace of mind. Leo's been visting Academia for at least 13/4 years. Maybe not living there but. he's been going.
> 
> That's everything I can think of right now, but you can ask about anything else that is unclear!

Yuya holds his hands between his, expression painfully earnest as Yuzu stands beside him, smiling. His mouth opens and Sora resists the stupid urge to rip his hands away and run away to avoid knowing the words about to come out of his mouth, heart hammering in his chest for a reason he can’t explain.

“I don’t know much about the Fusion Dimension,” Yuya says too casually eyes boring into Sora’s own, “but I know it’s not great, and I want you to know you always have a place here in Standard with us, Sora. If you want to stay here with us, we’re happy to have you, I’m pretty sure my mom’s had the guest bedroom set up for you since the moment you stormed into our house and gleefully ate all our food.”

Yuya had cornered him after Yuzu had reappeared, and he thought that he’d get to slip away, disappear, because Yuzu was back and that was supposed to take up all of Yuya’s attention. Sora didn’t want to see them, not yet, for some reason, but it was a feeling that persisted and grew as he watched them together. He hadn’t even thought he would for awhile, but then the light had carried them all here regardless. But the distraction had only worked for a little while, and then Yuzu’s eyes had caught his before flickering back to Yuya and somehow suddenly they were both walking towards him, his feet for some reason rooted to the ground.

He hadn’t understood the trepidation then, and he didn’t understand it now. Yuzu and Yuya were his fr – Sora trusted them, they would never even think of hurting him, he _knows_ that so why?

Sora takes a step back and Yuya, hands still wrapped around his, follows him forward frowning in confusion.

(Sora trusts them, but they shouldn’t trust him. Shouldn’t call him a friend, shouldn’t worry about him. Sora may have considered them his first friends but what gave him the right when he founded their relationship on lies.)

“Sora?” Yuya says his voice suddenly so very far away, like he isn’t here, like Yuya’s just _gone_.

_Yuya, but wrong, twisted and gray laughing harshly as he promises destruction._

_Not Yuya, wanting a challenge, accepting their duel, looking down on them like they are nothing, not the comrades he has fought beside all this time._

_Zarc, looking at them with uncaring eyes, unresponsive to their pleas because Sora is a failure and his connection to Yuya wasn’t enough, of course could never be enough, and just what was he thinking betraying Academia just to end up here._

_“Sora!”_ A voice, Yuya’s voice calls, one hand still around his, the other gently shaking his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Yuzu asks, and his gaze flickers to hers, shuddering. He didn’t see what happened but he knows, he knows and he didn’t stop it. Didn’t protect her from Academia like he’d promised Yuya he would.

Sora failed both of them. How could they – _why_ would they want him? Is this a joke? There’s no need for defective soldiers. Better yet why does he _care_ , Sora doesn’t need anybody. He doesn’t. He hadn’t. He – his chest _hurts_.

(It was always easier to not care.)

He looks up and sees their grief-stricken expressions –did he say any of that out loud? It doesn’t matter, he yanks his hands away taking another step back. Yuya doesn’t follow this time, face confused but concerned, but Yuzu does, determined even though her worry.

There’s such blatant _care_ in their expressions and that’s –that’s disgusting. That’s a weakness just dying to be exploited on the battlefield. A defective soldier too soft and too caring to do what needs to be done. But that had never been Sora, he had never had that weakness. (Caring about others isn’t a weakness, a voice that sounds just like theirs argues.) Sora had been the picture perfect soldier, he didn’t have hang-ups like caring about others, had never once failed an assignment or mission.

(Not until all of this started.)

And now here he was, shaking and trembling because people were being _nice_ to him? Because he thought he didn’t deserve it because he’d broken a promise? That was beyond shameful, he’d be carded in a heartbeat for sentiments like that.

(No one was ever going to do that again.)

“Sora…” One of them, both of them, he doesn’t know, says and he scowls.

“Shut up!” He spits, looking up to meet matching pairs of hurt – but still concerned, still worried – eyes. His heart twists and it pisses him off, does he really care so much that seeing them sad hurts him?

If you had told Sora that this is what caring about people was going to be like, he would have rather stayed an Academia soldier. Less thinking, less pain, less _everything_.

Sora failed. He failed his mission, failed Academia, failed both of them by letting this happen in the first place.

And failures aren’t needed.

 _Sora_ isn’t needed.

His feet move before he can even think about it, he gives into the urge.

He runs.

-

If there was one thing Sora had decided he never wanted to be, it was a failure, because the first failure he knew had been his father. And his father had been a shameful excuse of a human being.

-

Sora had never known his father. There were no pictures of him in the halls of their house (not there were many pictures in general), no one who visited ever mentioned him, and he never once saw his mother offer any kind of remembrance in his honour. His father existed in his mind like a ghost, something that perhaps existed, or had existed, but that was beyond his comprehension, something he had never seen.

He asked about him only once, curiosity getting the better of him, after a long day of tutoring as he and his mother sat at the dinner table.

Her face had twisted from its resting neutral expression into a nasty scowl, hand curling like claws around the fork in her hand. The words she spoke felt like acid on his skin, the rage in her eyes hot enough to burn. He regretted the question instantly, but it was too late to take it back.

“A disgrace of a man,” she spat, “ran away from the war the second you were born. Tried to take you with him but I caught him and reported it to the authorities. He escaped,” she continues, words twisting out like they pained her to say, “but at least he didn’t take you.”

“Where is he now?” He asked, as if his mind had stopped working because he knew that nothing good would come from it. It was more regretful than his initial question, there was no good answer to this question, and no good reason for him to ask it. 

Her gaze trained on him like a lion looking at prey and he resisted the urge to look away, she had never been fond of him showing weakness. “What does it matter, you’re better than your failure of a father, I’ll make _sure_ of it.” Her smile turned sharp and Sora busied himself with taking another bite of food, anything for a valid reason to turn his attention away from her. “Hurry up Sora,” she said lightly, but her gaze heavy, “I’d like you to head to bed soon, it’s getting a bit late.” She sighed, and he could imagine the hand coming to rest lightly on her cheek even without looking. “Perhaps I need to hire another tutor, your current one just isn’t being nearly strict enough with you.”

Despite his best efforts, his mouth pulls into a frown at the comment, he has bruises from where he’d fallen earlier during his lesson all over his body, muscles achy and sore even as he lifts the spoon to his mouth. Blast backs from duel shocks, falling off platforms, clumsiness from exhaustion, a whole slew of things that had happened in succession without pause or rest. And every time he’d fallen his tutor stared at him with impassive eyes and told him to get up again.

Sora has no idea what a stricter tutor would even be like, and he did not care to imagine it, but it didn’t matter, his opinion on this has never mattered. “Of course, mother.” He says instead, oh so politely. It makes him want to throw up.

Her smile turns deceptively kind at the comment, it makes a pit of disgust form in his stomach, “Wonderful dear.” She replies fondly and Sora would love nothing more than to spit in her face, but he knows far better than that by now.

Sora has never known his father, but he hates him, hates him for running away and leaving him here. With a mother desperate to make up for the black spot his disappearance had caused on her and more than willing to use Sora to get that. To restore honour to their family. And does doesn’t care one bit about any of that, but that’s never been what matters here.

Sora is still too young to head to Academia but it is all he knows, all his mother has spoken to him about, everything she has put her efforts towards. He will be a wonderful soldier, she has told him fondly again and again. He will be better than his coward of a father, she had whispered with anger in her eyes.

Sora doesn’t _care_ , he just wants to be old enough to leave, to be free of this house. He will be the best, but not to bring any joy to her. Everyone knows of Academia, it is what they live and breathe and Sora hears the wonder in his classmates voice when they whisper about how great they’ll be when they are finally old enough to go. Sora says nothing because this is not a dream or a desire for him, it is his right for everything he goes through. They can dream all they want but there will be no better Academia Soldier than him.

Sora hates his father for being gone, he hates his mother for being here, he hates his tutors for thinking that they are better than him, but above all he doesn’t care about any of them one bit. Sora doesn’t care about anyone, and he absolutely doesn’t need anyone.

Sora’s going to be strong enough that he won’t ever let anyone hold him down again.

-

~~(If his father was still by some miracle alive, would he be proud of Sora? Sora had never, and would never, want for his approval, but… was this the kind of future he had dreamed for him when he tried to steal him away?)~~

-

One of his tutors, one of the earliest ones, had always given him a sweet at the end of their sessions. For a job well done, for being one of the best students she’d had, she had told him the first time, and repeated it only once when she refused to give him one after a poor and tiring lesson. He did better the next time, not because the showing had disappointed his mother, but because he wanted his prize.

Sora never liked her much, even back then her smile too sweet, and words too soft for his house. He thinks sometimes that she knew that, for she never spoke aside from when she was instructing, and even the candies were given in silence after that first time.

She was but one of a round of changing faces, he doesn’t even remember the colour of her eyes, or the shape of her hair, but he remembers the sweetness of the treats, the shocking bite of sugar, when he had never had it before.

It sticks with him though; sweets are for winners, and Sora always plans on being a winner.

-

Academia is mandatory, where you end up there though, that’s up to you. It’s a mockery of choice, he thinks bitterly, but it’s the first one he’s ever had and he won’t take anything but the best. He’s no Slifer red, no Ra yellow, Sora is an Obelisk blue through and through and it’s only a matter of time before everyone sees it too.

Starting with his examiner, an older man who looks down at him with sneering eyes. Sora doesn’t know what it is he doesn’t like. His last name, a brand from his traitor of a father than his mother never changed? His size, small and unassuming? Maybe the man just looks like that to all new students –new recruits.

Sora doesn’t know, and he doesn’t care, he’d wipe the smirk off his face soon enough.

“Don’t worry,” the man says, light words betrayed by cruel eyes, “You don’t have to beat me, no one’s expecting too much from a kid like you. We just want to see where you’re at.” Because placement in Academia starts here; his mother had told him there was no way they would place him in anything lower than Ra, not with all the tutelage listed on his application but Sora doesn’t care about that. He’s going to win on his own merit, his own skill. Not any of the shit his mother forced him through.

He grits his teeth, wishing he had _something_ to bite down on but they’d taken away his sweets, told him that he could _earn_ them back. It doesn’t matter if this dude’s problem is personal or if he’s just an asshole, Sora’s tired of people looking at him like he’s lesser, like he’s not human. This is finally his time to shine, and he’s not letting anyone take it away.

When the man laughs at his deck, mockingly coos at his fluffal bear – ‘A cute monster for such a cute kid’ – Sora smiles, a grin as sharp and cutting as the kind his mother always aimed at him.

He’s not going to let anyone look down on him anymore, starting with this man right here.

-

Sora win splendidly, like he knew he would, and something that can only be joy fills him as he watches the man fall to his knees, eyes wide in disbelief. If he had the ability to, he thinks he might feel a bit bad, even he had to admit that defeat was shameful, Sora hadn’t needed to play as seriously as he did but well –Sora was looking to make an impression.

And the close to crying adult in front of him, well that’s an impression if he’s ever heard of one.

A trio of soldiers walk in, identical in clothing and movement, marching towards his evaluator. One of them picks him up, another removes his duel disk, and the other watches Sora was an impassive expression as if daring him to do something. If Sora cared enough he’d tell them they didn’t need to bother, Sora would never risk his neck for someone else, let alone a man like him.

They take him away, the man begging and pleading, and his screams tune out just as a speaker overhead announces that he can return to the main room. Vaguely, he wonders if the man will get carded for such a shameful display –it would explain the panic. The feeling from before shifts just slightly and his stomach twists at the thought, with an emotion Sora decides to name satisfaction, because what else would he be feeling. The man belittled him, then lost terribly.

The weak aren’t necessary, losers aren’t necessary.

This man has proven himself to be a failure if he can’t hold his own against a new recruit, what else would become of him.

A different soldier greets him at the exit, offering him the belongings they had confiscated earlier without so much as a word. He winks at them as they walk away, an action dutifully ignored, digging into his bag for a lollipop. He unwraps it with ease, popping it into his mouth.

Yeah, Sora thinks he’s going to like it here.

-

Unsurprisingly, to Sora at least, he gets into Obelisk Blue.

-

“Shiunin,” A voice calls and he turns to see one of the Ra Yellow’s in his class, he smiles cheerily as the boy approaches, which makes the other flinch back. He lets the smile drop, popping a gummy bear into his mouth instead; he really needs to work on that. People always thought he was cute until he smiled, and while it used to be annoying he thought it was fun the way people went easy on him due to his appearance only to be destroyed for the slight. It was like the blue jacket meant nothing to some of these people and Sora was happy to take any advantage he could. If people weren’t going to stop underestimating him, he’d just have to make sure they’d regret it.

“Shiunin.” The boy calls again, looking just a bit nervous. Whoops, but who could blame him, Sora didn’t have time to remember or care about people below him, not unless they were being useful. He had better things to spend his memory on.

“What.” He demands, trying for the smile again. This time the boy tentatively offers one back, so he assumes it’s a more successful attempt.

“One of the older kids was looking for you.” He says, voice wavering as he stands at attention.

“Why?” He asks, picking out another gummy bear. He wonders if the kid would scream if he flicked it at him, he’s already nervous enough –he’s not going to last the year with an attitude like that, how’d even manage to get into the Ra faction?

“They didn’t tell me,” he says quickly, eyes flickering around, “just. It seemed important, and the instructors told us anyone older than us is allowed to give us orders within reason so…” he trails off, looking hopefully over at Sora. He gives him his blankest stare and the kid flinches. “They said meet them in the courtyard, I’m –I’m going now.”

He watches him scurry off with a frown, he just ate his last gummy bear he doesn’t want to go find some stuffy upperclassmen when he could be getting a new snack. Still, Sora isn’t going to have a slight on his record for trying to bail out of this, so he might as well.

What’s the worst that can happen?

-

As he looks up at the matching leering grins the two people before him wear, he thinks that maybe he should have guessed this. Of course, Sora thought it would take longer than a couple months –not even until his second year he’d assumed, but clearly he’s just that good. It’s almost an honour. He meets their gaze with a smile that is not even close the cute he’s been aiming for as of late, all this means is that he’s going to have an easier time climbing to the top of this school than he thought.

“The fuck is that look for?” The obelisk in the middle asks, while his smarter friend to the left, a slifer, looks a bit perturbed now. Sad that the lower rank somehow has most sense. The other obelisk, the only one that doesn’t seem like they want to be here, hadn’t matched the judgemental looks the other two had worn earlier, has this bland look on his face now and Sora can’t get a read on it, whatever.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He replies, projecting an innocence into his tone that his face does not reflect.

“Listen punk,” Mr. Angry Blue snarls, and its sweet that he thinks that makes him look intimidating, “we’ve heard you’ve been getting a nice clean record there. Zero losses, right?”

Sora nods, but it’s not like it’s an impressive record to him, none of the kids in his grade compare to some of the tutors he’s had, and in your first year you don’t duel outside your year.

“Getting cocky?” He continues and inwardly Sora bemoans his lack of sweets, at least it would help him take his mind off this idiot.

“No.” Sora’s not cocky, he knows he’s better than everyone in his grade, he’s worked for it. There’s nothing to be cocky about, it’s just fact.

Apparently though, it’s not a good enough answer, Mr. Angry scowls, pushing him back and activating his duel disk, his two lackies doing the same. “Well I think you’re lying, and it’s about time you learned your place brat.”

“If you want to lose that badly, I’ll be glad to.” He says, activating his duel disk as he flips back, putting space between them.

“I don’t think you understand the situation you’re in _Shiunin.”_ Mr. Angry spits, the slifer responding with a lacky appropriate ‘you know it’ while the other continues his weirdo silence. He supposes they think they have the upper hand in this 3 v 1.

Sora can’t wait to show them just how wrong they are. Change their faces from that awful, haughty, holier-than-thou attitude. Is there something about being older than people that makes you an insufferable asshole? It would explain so much about Sora’s life if that were true.

Oh well, they’d learn soon enough.

“Draw!”

-

A knock on the door startles him out of his musings, pulling him away from his deck, spread out across the table before him. He scowled, biting hard into his sucker before marching over to the door and swinging it open.

“What do you want?” He huffed, expecting another classmate and instead meeting the impassive reflection of an Obelisk Force Soldier.

The soldier says nothing for a moment, long enough that Sora actually wonders if he would get in trouble for the outburst, before inclining their head. “The Professor wishes to see you. Please follow me.” Then they turned around and started walking without so much of a by your leave.

Sora blinks, habit more than anything making him scurry into his room, gather up his deck and then sprint back out. They’re already rounding the corner by the time Sora catches up, not even a hitch to their step when Sora sidles up next to them.

“Can I know why?”

“The professor will inform you when you arrive.” They say, sharper than their words before and Sora takes the hint. The professor is a right terrifying enough, Sora had gleamed that well enough when he’d stood before them all at the opening ceremony, going on about a speech that made the way people spoke about the Professor seem pale and underwhelming in retrospect. His presence was large, and intimidating, it felt like any time his attention so much as wandered the Professors eyes were on him personally, commanding him to watch, to listen. It was unsettling, yet extremely impressive, and he’d left the ceremony feeling cold and shaken as the echo of the Academia chant resounded in his head.

It was not an experience he was looking forward to repeating and yet something like excitement thrummed through his veins.

He was led through various halls and doors, some of which Sora was vaguely sure that were part of the restricted areas for first years. He supposed though, if he really was going to meet the Professor, that he would be behind all these areas regular students weren’t allowed in. Which made this just a bit concerning, clearly students didn’t normally come here, at least no one as recent as him, so what could the Professor possibly want with him?

He lets out a breath, shoulders relaxing; whatever it is being tense won’t help him. Sora’s the top of his class, he’s one of four of his year to have made it into Obelisk right off the bat. Sora has done nothing to be afraid of, there are only accomplishments to his name, and that is surely the cause of this summoning.

“We’re here.” The Obelisk Soldier says, looking down at him for a moment before opening the large door before them. It creaks open with an ominous sigh, and even through the mask Sora can feel the expectant gaze.

Well, at the very least, if Sora’s going down, he thinks as he narrows his eyes at the soldier and peers into the room, he’s not going down without a fight.

Sora gives the soldier one last passing nod, then enters the room. The door closes with a resounding thud behind him. Ignoring the fleeting panic that runs through him at the action, he walks deeper into the room towards the desk at the back. The professor sits there, not even looking up to greet him, methodically working through a stack of paper.

About a foot away Sora stops, and gives the perfect ingrained stand and salute that is beaten into every new student by the end of their first week. “Professor,” he says evenly, “you requested to see me?”

The man says nothing, hands deftly working through the sheet before him until he reaches the bottom. Only then does he pause, placing the pen to the side and looking up at him.

“Shiunin Sora,” The Professor says, voice even and steady, “I’m sure you are wondering why you have been called here.” Sora nods and he regards him for a moment before inclining his head. “You may relax, speak freely.”

Sora doesn’t necessary believe him, but he does allow his stance to relax from parade rest.

“I have heard good things about you Sora, it is not often we get a student with such promise as you.”

“Thank you.” Sora says, but doesn’t care for the compliment, Sora will feel accomplished when something actually gives him a challenge.

The Professors eyes gleam, like he can see Sora’s thoughts and has found them satisfactory. “I know of your background, and I know that you have worked hard to prove yourself loyal to Academia –I am not one to begrudge such devotion.” Sora feels an odd stutter at the words. He didn’t choose any of that, he didn’t but – “You will be a fine addition to our ranks Sora. I am proud to have you on our side.”

Sora’s mind blanks out for a second.

“However,” The Professor says, continuing on without worry, “there is something I would like to address.”

It takes him a moment to collect himself, but he nods with a blink; “Of course, how can I help.” He says, with the practiced subservient politeness his mother instilled in him that makes his skin crawl.

“It has come to my attention, that an unauthorized duel took place on school grounds the other day. That in itself is nothing of consequence, we encourage you all to better your skills as often as possible.” His eyes, never leaving Sora’s, narrow. “In this situation however, some action is required. An unfairly stacked duel against a younger student is not the kind of behaviour we condone here.”

There are alarm bells blaring in Sora’s head, something isn’t right. But he can’t place what it is, but he feels like he’s standing adrift; the rug pulled out from under him.

The professor smiles, and Sora watches transfixed as he calls out to someone, gaze never leaving his. “Bring them in now.” He calls out, smile unwavering as he stands, coming out from behind the desk to place a hand on Sora’s shoulder. “Failures must be punished, I think this is a lesson you know quite well.” Sora opens his mouth, then closes it with a snap, he doesn’t know what he’d been planning to say.

A cry finally pulls his attention from the Professor, eyes swinging towards the door where three familiar figures are being pushed in, arms bound behind them. Sora recognises them, if only because the look on Mr. Angry’s face is a mirror image for the snarl he’d given Sora after he’d soundly beaten the three of them. The Slifer looks terrified while the other Obelisk has his eyes closed, seemingly ignoring the proceedings around him.

“Them?” He asks without thinking, the word slipping out of his mouth as the Professor’s grip on him tightens.

“Yes. It is one thing to challenge a younger student to such an unfair challenge, it is another to be beaten so harshly when the odds are so stacked in your favour.” The Professor says blandly and Sora wonders if he’d even care about the former if it wasn’t for the latter.

“The little shit cheated!” Angry yells, and the Slifer, still looking terrified knocks his shoulder into the other.

“Will you shut the fuck up.” He hisses through trembling lips.

“I have seen the duel myself,” The Professor says, voice suddenly cold, “would you be calling me a liar since I saw no sign of foul play?”

Mr. Angry blanches, for the first time something close to fear colouring his features. “Professor, I would never, your words –your decisions are unquestionable.” He babbles, eyes wide.

“Then stay your tongue.” He says and the boy’s mouth snaps closed, now trembling as much as the Slifer beside him. The Professor regards them for a moment longer before his attention shifts back to Sora. “As I was saying, failures must be punished.”

He thinks maybe, that the Professor wanted him to say something to that, he doesn’t. He’s not sure he can believe anything going around him right now.

“It was just one duel.” The Slifer interrupts, looking like he might pass out when the Professor’s gaze trains solely on him. “And it was Kuusuke’s idea anyways, Professor you have to understand.” He just about begs.

“No one made you listen to me, Fuyu.” Mr. Angry, Kuusuke apparently, mumbles. The other Obelisk continues to do nothing.

“A soldier who cannot accept their failings is worse than a coward.” The Professor says, almost conversationally. “Academia has no need for those who cannot accept their betters, and even less for those who would fail so miserably and then refuse to acknowledge the fact.”

“ _You can’t mean_ –” Kuusuke says, but he cuts himself off, unable to finish.

“Don’t you agree, Sora?” He continues, as if the interruption had never happened. Sora _does_ agree, he’s always thought that way. Weakness is a disease that needs to be culled.

But…

The Professor pushes something into his hands and Sora fumbles, the object almost slipping from his grasp. He glances down at it, a duel disk, but different than the one he has –it looks like the one the upper years and soldiers have. The screen flickers to life and a low whimper of fear comes from the direction of the three of them.

“You haven’t learned how to use these yet,” The Professor says, pulling his attention away, “but I’m sure you understand the concept.”

It is something about the way he phrases it that knocks understanding into him. These duel disks can card people, it feels somehow heavier in his hands with the knowledge. There’s not a person in their dimension who doesn’t know about carding. Children are raised knowing about it like it’s the boogeyman, do as your told, don’t stray from the path, or you’ll find yourself a card before you know it.

It’s technology that only soldiers and upper year students, those who go on missions as part of their classes, have access to. Sora shouldn’t get this until his third year here. His stomach tosses and turns, he tells himself it’s excitement.

“Use it.” The Professor says – _commands_. Sora looks back down at the duel disk, the function is clear enough on the screen, a click of a button. “Academia does not need failures.” He repeats, and Sora turns, walking towards them, without so much of a thought.

He’s thought this before, back in his entrance exam. If they were weak, if they lost, they got what was coming to them, even carding. There’s no difference now. A grown man mocking him, teenagers acting up, they both lost. They’d all failed.

It was the same.

_This wasn’t wrong._

Sora wasn’t a failure, and he wasn’t going to be dragged down by something as simple as not doing this.

He presses the button, and in a moment he barely remembers three cards float down towards him, the Professor’s presence heavy behind him.

“Good job Sora,” the Professor says, hand a hefty weight on his shoulder. Or at least it must be, because his knees almost buckle at the sudden pressure. “I expect great things from such a devoted student like you.”

His mind feels like it’s running circles, his stomach doing large swooping loops. The hand on his shoulder feels like the both the thing pushing him down and keeping him up.

Sora feels… satisfied. Yes. That’s it, he did what he was supposed to, he’s impressed the head of Academia, this is everything he’s ever wanted. He’s moving leaps and bounds in his goal, he showed these idiots that he’s not someone to be messed with.

This is… this is right, this is fine. He smiles.

“Don’t worry, Professor, I won’t let you down.”

Glory be to Academia, after all.

-

(Sora doesn’t remember the moment he carded the three of them, not really, but for weeks after he sees faces he can’t quite place in his dreams. Terror, fear, in a face shrouded in red. Anger, desperation, from the blue figure beside him.

But always, always, the clearest, the most vivid, the final figure. No fear, no anger, just acceptance. A smile on his face, a mouth that opens to say ‘thank you’ and then all three are gone into light.

He wakes from those dreams cold and shaking, memories of it fading before he can even grasp it.)

-

“Sora,” a voice calls, and Sora pauses in his stroll down the hall. It may only be his second year, but Sora’s gotten a lot of leeway since his meeting with the Professor, the only people who call him by his first name are the soldiers who rank above him, and some of the teachers. He turns, offering up his kindest (fakest) smile to whoever it is.

Ah, Edo. He’s in charge of the XYZ invasion if Sora remembers right, Sora doesn’t know much about him but he’s only heard good things about him. It’s gross, the other man actually cares about his subordinates, and even now his expression softens as he meets Sora’s smile. How in the hell did a man like this get put in such an important position?

He inclines his head, as much respect as he’s willing to offer the other; “Can I help you?” Today’s his day off classes, he’s not really interested in dealing with anything that he doesn’t strictly have to.

“The Professor has requested your presence for the next wave of attack on Heartland City. Given your unique circumstances, I thought it best to inform you of this myself.” Edo says, prim and proper, it makes Sora want to gag.

“Thought we aren’t allowed to do things like that till 4th year.” He replies, raising a brow.

“As I said, these are unique circumstances, you have proven yourself capable and the Professor would like to offer you a chance to prove yourself further.”

“Sure thing then, Glory be to Academia and all that.” He salutes, forcing back a laugh when Edo sends him an affronted look at the casualness of his remark. Dude needs to lighten up really.

Sora’s been trying that lately, it’s great. Mainly because it makes other people mad, and that’s always entertaining.

“… Very well, please be ready, departure will be three days from now at 7am sharp.” Edo replies at length, giving a curt nod before turning about face and leaving down the same hallway he came from.

-

Sora arrives at the meeting place early, mainly to avoid interacting with his classmates if he’d left any later. They either look scared or annoyed whenever they see him, and it’s frankly pathetic either way. He’s pretty glad that as long as he maintains his win streak and passes his tests no one cares whether he’s paying attention or even showing up to classes consistently.

Perks, he supposes. It’s not like he _wants_ to spend time with any of them. There’s been talk of moving him to the elite classes soon, and the only hurdle so far is his age. He hopes they get over it and do it, anything for something more worthwhile than what he’s been doing up until now. Training and Physical Courses are the only things that give him a challenge at this point.

A small group of students pass by him as he waits, one of them shouting something that makes the rest of them laugh. He sighs, leaning back and reaching into his pocket for a piece of candy as the last of his sucker dissolves.

“You’re here already, punctuality is a great trait for any solider.” Edo’s voice calls, pleased as he approaches. “The rest should be here shortly, would you like a short debrief? The rest of the students I’m sure know more about it than you.”

Sora waves him off, “We’re gonna go card some XYZ scum, I don’t need to know more than that.”

Edo’s face does an interesting spasm at that, but whatever remark he meant to make is ignored in favour of greeting the rest of the battalion as they start to filter in. Edo gives him a look, as if implying he should join in and Sora pointedly ignores him, he can see the glares he’s getting. Sora knows full well when he is and isn’t welcomed somewhere and he has no interest in being here any longer than completing this mission will take.

“We’re heading out. Remember, we move in pairs or groups of three. Watch out for each other.” Edo says once the room has settled, voice steady and level.

He snorts, as if. Like Sora would trust any of these people to have his back.

-

The second he has a chance he breaks away, he’s not letting any of them hold him back, or worse yet actively work against him. Whatever Edo said, nothing would work better in a group than by himself, Sora knows that full well.

It’s not like he’s in any real danger, the citizens of this dimension are laughably weak. It may be his first time actually here but he’s heard the stories, learned about it in class. Their takeover was swift and simple, a necessary evil towards the greater goal of Academia. A perfect world, a Utopia where everyone can live peacefully.

Sora would love for that to be true, and he’d be even happier if he could be credited for his part in its conception, for there to be no doubt of his worth.

Things like that begin here, with proving he’s worth more than just some measly win records. That he can prove himself even on the battlefield. It’s almost laughably easy to do, most of these duelists can’t even hope to hold a candle to Academia’s weakest soldiers, and if they really are travelling in groups of three then they were woefully outclassed.

Carding these duelists just leaves him frustrated. Watching them run in fear, the braver few tremble as they stand their ground, every single one failing regardless. This… this isn’t… it’s too easy. That’s the problem. What worth can he prove when none of these duelists prove to be a challenge, anyone could do this.

And the fact that it’s him is…

He shakes his head, checking the time. Edo said to regroup after five hours, it should be just about then soon enough.

Maybe next time he’ll find someone who’s worth it.

-

Edo spends an entire hour after they return lecturing him on the dangers of travelling alone through enemy territory and Sora lets most of the tirade go in one ear and out the other. The man’s annoying, it’s not like he saw Edo heading out with anyone, sure those Tyler sisters had been with him but he’s more than sure they took off at the sight of anything that moved.

“… not a game, Sora.” Edo concludes one point before continuing on to the next but Sora latches on to that.

A game… yeah that makes sense. No wonder he couldn’t find anyone worthwhile, he’s just at the starting level fighting entry level monsters. He needs to work his way up to the harder fights.

“Okay.” He says, holding his hands up, “I get it, can I go now?”

Edo sighs, “You may, regardless of your behaviour you did well out there, I will let the Professor know.”

He gives Edo a lazy salute before turning to leave, that was more exhausting than the mission. But he learned something useful, this is a game, a hunting game, and Sora’s always been good at games.

His teeth wrap around the wrapping of the lollipop, ripping it off with a satisfying pop, and he spits it out humming as he makes his way down the hall.

It’ll be fun.

-

Sora gets sent out with them a couple more times, each time ending with the same diatribe from Edo that Sora feels he could recite in his sleep despite doing his best to never pay a lick of attention to him. At least they finally decided to move him up, the older students might look down on him but one wonderful beatdown and their tone is quick to change. Sora knows full well by now that none of them can match him, the only kid who probably could is that boy that parades around the grounds like he owns them. The Professor’s little pet some of the braver students murmur behind closed doors, because even then they aren’t stupid. Everyone knows what happens to the kids who disrespect him within earshot. Sora’s never properly met him, he’s seen him in the halls but that’s it, and he’s happy to keep it that way. Sora has a path in mind and he’d just surely derail it some way or the other.

Still eventually they stop, Sora has only ever gone on test missions with the other students, and they’ve reached the end of those for the semester. It’s almost a relief, Sora doesn’t _like_ working with others, he can’t trust them and they shouldn’t trust him. Sora doesn’t care about them, and he’d throw them into the fire if it meant keeping himself warm.

What Sora needs is a mission to prove himself properly, and one he can do alone.

Preferably before Edo goes over his head and actually requests for Sora to be added to his squadron. Sora can barely stand Edo’s tentative authority over him during these test missions, he wouldn’t last a week in reality.

He doesn’t need teamwork, or comrades. Anything that needs to be done he’ll do by himself. It’s a mentality that’s gotten him this far, why would that change now?

-

His chance comes just a few weeks after his last time in XYZ, handed to him by one of the upper year teachers –orders directly from the Professor himself.

“Standard.” He mouths once the teacher has left. XYZ is pretty much done, there’s rebellion but they won’t last long not with how often and how many they’ve been sending in lately. He doesn’t know much of Synchro but he knows they’ve got spies in high places, a well placed message should tear the whole thing about.

Standard is an anomaly. With no set summoning method to identify it, it has often been viewed as easy pickings. A dimension the most fragile and brittle of the four. Sora assumes it has lasted this long only because the Professor assumes it won’t take much at all to conquer it.

It’s just an infiltration mission, gather some intel, scope out how strong they are, seek any XYZ remnants that may have fled off their home dimension. Simple, but no one else has ever been to Standard as far as Sora’s aware, this is big.

It’s exactly what he’s been waiting for.

-

Standard is… weird. It’s the only way he knows how to put it. Adults, children, teenagers, everyone walks down the street laughing and chatting like it’s an everyday occurrence and there’s nothing wrong with doing so. Sora catches the presence of police, of security, but they are simply there. Present. They aren’t enforcing anything that Sora can catch other than theft or violence, and most people walk by them with a wave or nothing at all.

These people do not know battle, and they do not know war.

These people know… peace? He supposes, it is all so carefree it makes Sora’s skin itch. No one even gives him so much as a glance, if he was walking around Fusion like this he’d get a Truancy Officer on his tail in no time.

Frankly, Sora thinks he could just end his mission right here, there’s clearly nothing to be worried about here, just looking at them lets him know they won’t be any challenge to Academia.

Sora could. But he doesn’t. He wants to know more about this world… for Academia’s sake.

-

LDS is apparently the big name of this city he’s been sent to, interestingly enough headed by one Reiji Akaba; the Professor’s son? An ally? He’s never heard rumors of a spy in Standard, but would the Professor’s son even count? He doesn’t think so, no one in this dimension acts with knowledge of what’s happening. If Reiji Akaba knows something he hasn’t shared it, and while that would be great spy activity Sora doubts it.

There’s a reason that Standard has all three summoning methods when it shouldn’t, and he doubts it’s a good thing.

If he wants answers however, he might as well try heading directly to the source.

-

Yuya Sakaki is interesting, he’d followed the boy on a whim, his face familiar in a vague sense, but it was enough to deem it worth investigating. Sora doesn’t know many people, and no one he knows should be here, so it’s an odd thing to note.

It was a worthwhile decision, a boy who’s apparently the inventor to an _entirely new summoning method_. There is no Pendulum dimension, and Standard has always been just that, Standard. Ominous and suspicious, but also something that definitely begets looking into, more so than whatever it is LDS is up to. If they try to do anything big Sora will notice, and nothings stopping him from looking into it later, but for now; the boy.

“Teacher,” He calls cheerily, hanging onto the boy’s arms and smiles wider when the boy looks horrified. People in this dimension are so easy to tease, and he’s glad he mastered that whole innocent look, it fits in so nicely here. “That’s fine right? If I call you that? You’ll teach me your Pendulum summoning it’s just so cool!”

“If you want that you’ll follow us back to the Duel School, only members get that privilege.” The girl says, hands on her hips.

“Yuzu!” Yuya gasps, appalled.

“Oh shush, you’d think you’d love such a devoted fan.” She scolds, then glances over to Sora. “You coming?”

“Of course!” He says, giving both of them a picture-perfect salute that makes the three younger kids laugh. “I’ll do anything!”

Yuya groans, but argues no more, not even trying to tug his arm away from Sora.

Sora thinks he’ll definitely be enjoying this mission, even if it is a bit weird. He’s never interacted with kids his own age like this.

-

He makes himself scarce during the day, this world may not have the strict laws of Fusion, but he still doesn’t think a kid his age should be wandering around when the rest of them are all in classes. He leaves in the morning under Yoko’s watchful eye, an odd woman who looks at him like she can see right through him. She plays along with his antics fine enough, but it’s just that, playing along; despite how Yuya sees it Sora’s sure she knows something. Nothing dangerous, but something about him and it’s unsettling. No one should know anything about him that he doesn’t allow.

So still, he leaves, and does more reconnaissance during that time. Checks warehouses and alleys for suspicious behaviour –relevant suspicious behaviour anyways. Tries to do some covert surveying of LDS but he’s relatively sure no one but Reiji has the information he needs, everyone else he’s tailed has been a dead end.

He cycles through the tasks daily haphazardly before getting to his favorite part of the day; You Show Duel School.

Yuya had won their duel, so learning Pendulum from him directly was probably out, but he didn’t seem to care when Sora watched him duel, and he took his pointers from there. It wasn’t possible without the cards regardless, but not learning about something because you couldn’t use it were the choices a fool.

Besides, Yuya wasn’t that great of a duelist, Sora could beat him if he bothered being serious about it, but for some reason… losing to Yuya hadn’t really mattered, even though he hadn’t tried his hardest. There was something entertaining in watching the other duel, a fun and joy to it that almost enthralling to watch.

It was amazing.

It was terrible.

It wouldn’t last a day on the battlefield, not that ridiculous notion of wanting to make others smile. A smile wasn’t worth anything, and especially wasn’t worth Sora risking his own neck for.

But in this idealistic dimension, where war and famine and death were scary stories and not reality, he thought maybe… it was alright.

He hoped when Standard fell, as it eventually had to, Yuya and Yuzu would be fine. There was nothing he could do about it, Sora knew without a doubt that neither would ever join Academia’s cause, but it was a nice thought nonetheless.

Sora wasn’t used to nice thoughts though, or used to hoping, so it was a weird feeling.

He didn’t think he hated it though, he just had no idea what to do with it.

He’d rather not have to deal with it at all.

-

The little mini challenge was proof enough to Sora that Standard wasn’t anything but dirt on their shoes. If these were supposed to the best of their individual techniques Sora almost wanted to go apologize to the actual residents of their respective dimensions, this kind of summoning was just shameful. Not to mention that fusion using girl, she thought herself quite high and mighty for someone who wouldn’t last a day in Academia. It was frankly kind of disgusting.

Reiji Akaba though, he continued to prove himself noteworthy. A duelist of actual quality, who had managed to use Pendulum summoning all on his own. Sora had no doubt by now that he knew something, and was getting further cemented in the idea that is wasn’t anything good for Academia.

The man warranted questioning, and it was time to go straight to the source.

He hadn’t expected Yuzu to find him and to pull him away. Hadn’t expected himself to let it happen so easily. But then Yuzu asked him to teach him fusion summoning and somehow he found himself saying yes. Felt almost… happy? Yeah, happy, that she had asked. Of course, that was ruined by the appearance of that probably an XYZ using scum, but the bastard escaped before he could do much about it.

Either way, his mission could wait a couple of days, Reiji wasn’t going anywhere, that XYZ remnant definitely didn’t have somewhere _else_ to escape to, and Sora’s mission was indefinite until either he returned, or something came up and he was forcibly recalled.

Fitting in was part of a good infiltration, he was simply prioritizing. Give a little now, and they’d trust him more later, wouldn’t question it when he slipped away.

There wasn’t anything weird about this decision.

-

(It starts then, he thinks, looking back on it. Sora was not supposed to get attached. Not just because these were people Sora was lying to, only with for his mission, but because Sora had never let himself get attached to others.

Caring about people gave them the power to hurt you. It gave them power over you at all. And Sora couldn’t have that, couldn’t trust people with that.

And yet… Sora never forgets, he can’t, but at some point his mission fades out of focus. Sora joins the tournament because he has to further investigate Standards strength of course, not because he thinks it’ll be fun or anything.

He trains Yuzu because strategically it makes sense, not because he wants to see her succeed. Not because as he takes her to his matches her downcast looks make him feel uncomfortable for a reason he cannot rationally explain.

He stays at You Show, by Yuya’s side, because knowledge on pendulum is vital, not because he likes it. Not because Yuya’s household is so warm and different from his own, or because he enjoys spending time with the younger kids and their pestering questions.

He ignores his mission, doesn’t chase down those remnants like he should, keeps forgetting to check up on Reiji. And he doesn’t have a good reason for it by the end.

Sora lets himself slip up, get lost in emotions he cannot place or name, and is reminded sharply of why that’s a mistake during his duel with Kurosaki.)

-

It was a mistake. A dream. Not real.

It had to be, there was no way this was happening. Sora didn’t _lose_ , losing was for failures and Sora _wasn’t._

The pain coursing through his body, the shame filling his gut, says otherwise.

His hands clenched, pain dull amongst the rest of his injuries but none of it compared to the anger quickly overcoming him. He had been foolish, this was a game but it wasn’t one to take lightly and Sora had messed up the second he had tried having _fun_ with it. Fun Yuya’s way; Sora had lost the second he had stopped thinking like a soldier and he only had himself to blame. He hadn’t been serious from the beginning and that had led to his downfall. If Academia could see it he’d be carded for sure, and he wouldn’t even fight it, to be outsmarted by XYZ scum was a disgrace beyond proportion. There were no second chances on the battlefield, but this wasn’t a battlefield, and Sora had wrongs to right.

He knew better now, he wouldn’t slip up again. Sora wasn’t a fool, even if his mistake was, but he knew how to learn from his mistakes, however rare they may be.

Kurosaki wouldn’t survive their next encounter; Sora would make sure of it.

-

He almost can’t see through the anger buzzing just underneath his skin, hazing his vision. If Sora could just, if he could throw his duel disk away and _throttle_ that XYZ remnant for daring to pity him, for showing him _mercy._

Sora didn’t want, nor did he deserve, anyone’s mercy. He just needed this scum to lose, and then to show him where Kurosaki is so he could put him in his place too. It’s all the worse when Yuya shows up with his stupid mentality interfering in _Sora’s_ fight, _Sora’s_ battle. He doesn’t need this, he knows he’s running on borrowed time, it’s only a matter of time before they realise he’s been figured out and recall him. He needs to end this _now_ while he still can.

He doesn’t get the chance, and his anger and curses follow him all the way back until his conscious leaves him.

-

Frustration that isn’t soothed by the lollipop between his teeth claws at him like a vice as he makes his way through Standard once more. It had taken longer than he cared for to get them to release him, but thankfully the Professor had been quick to acquiesce his desire to go back. Under the condition that he take the Obelisk Force to help with recapturing Serena.

He didn’t argue (even if seeing her face, Yuzu’s face, had left him unsettled), that was fine –even preferable. Sora had no interest in capturing her, not until he made things right and pummeled that XYZ remnant into the ground. They’d be there to pick up the slack, it wasn’t Sora’s fault she’d escaped so he could push her aside for now.

Sora has bigger priorities, like making everyone understand that Sora isn’t a failure.

-

Defeating Kurosaki isn’t as satisfying as it should be. He’s defeated, and that’s good. Sora was right, he only ever beat him because Sora was just playing around, no XYZ using scum was ever going to beat him at full power.

And anyone who thought so deserved to be crushed into the ground and carded.

Yet, it doesn’t feel good, in fact when he spots Yuzu, here when she shouldn’t be it just feels worse. Yuzu shouldn’t see… except, except that’s not Yuzu. That’s Serena. Which is perfect, he can grab her, go back, and put this mission behind him and focus back on the things that matter.

Pretend none of this ever happened.

-

“Why are you doing this?” Yuya asks, something like pain in his voice and Sora scowls, drawing another card.

“Why do you care?” He shoots back, placing a spell card and a face down before ending his turn.

“Because I know you aren’t like this.” Yuya says firmly, like he really thinks he knows him. As if anyone could claim to know someone who was lying about their whole existence.

“Really? What do you think carding that ninja was all about then?” He taunts, smiling when Yuya’s expression twists.

“I don’t know. But I know you, and when we dueled before your smile was real. You teaching Yuzu was genuine. This isn’t you.”

Something in Sora’s stomach warms, freezes, and shatters in one quick moment. “You don’t know a thing about me, Yuya. Everything you know about me isn’t real, and you’re deluding yourself into thinking otherwise. This is my true self, an Academia soldier.”

Yuya frowns, silently drawing another card. “I don’t think that’s true, I don’t believe it,” he says softly, before his expression hardens voice echoing around their makeshift arena, “and I’m going to prove it! Duels are for smiles, Sora, and I won’t let you keep doing this.”

“Duels are for fighting. They’re a tool for war, to progress Academia’s goal of a perfect united dimension –nothing you do can stop that!”

“Well Academia’s _wrong_ , you guys don’t get to choose who and what gets to exist.” Yuya retorts and Sora almost laughs at the incredulity of the statement.

Academia, wrong? Sora’s been living and breathing these teachings since he was old enough to understand his mother speaking to him. It was all he’d ever known, and it was right, because why else would they be allowed to do everything they had done.

“I’m going to make you remember your true self, Sora!”

“ _This is my true self!”_ Whatever Yuya is trying to find, Sora doesn’t have it, he never has and never will, and if Yuya’s too deluded by the image Sora put up, that’s his problem, not Sora’s. A distracted opponent is one easier to beat, so if Yuya wants to waste his time yammering, he can. Sora’s not going to let himself get shaken up, Yuya doesn’t know him. He doesn’t. He can’t possibly think Sora’s a good person, not after he watched him duel Kurosaki, watched him card Hikage. That genuine look in his eyes isn’t aimed at Sora, it’s aimed at some fantasy Yuya has formed in his head. He’s not going to find it, but he can keep chasing it if he wants.

It’s only going to help Sora win in the end.

“You’re having fun,” Yuya says and Sora blinks, turning his attention away from Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon.

“Of course! Your entertainment dueling is always so interesting!” It’s a challenge, Yuya’s improved in leaps and bounds since Sora got here and this is nothing like those duels he won in Heartland, in Academia, why wouldn’t Sora finally enjoy a duel that tests him, that betters his abilities as a –

“You’re having fun because dueling is for fun!” Yuya says firmly, like he can see the thoughts whirring in Sora’s head. “They’re aren’t risks here! We’re just friends, you don’t need to keep fighting Sora. Come back.”

 _Come back_ Yuya says, like Sora has a place here. Sora’s place is in Academia, a fighter, a soldier, not here in sunny picturesque Maiami City. But Yuya’s eyes, his stance, his expression all say otherwise. As if Sora really could just put his duel disk down, walk over, and Yuya would accept him with open arms. For one long terrible second something in Sora _wants_ for something he can’t name before he shakes it off. Sora is a soldier, Sora is loyal, he’s not just going to throw everything away because the past couple days have been _fun._

His heartbeat feels too loud in his ears, he needs to end this, and he needs to end it fast.

-

When he recalls himself back his mind keeps replaying the image of Serena in Yuzu’s clothes, how she was left here in Standard, but that no one had seen Yuzu.

It makes him feel sick.

-

Yuzu isn’t in Academia, after all his searching he couldn’t find her and that’s good. Yuzu shouldn’t come here, not to this place where smiles don’t have meaning. Sora doesn’t care about people, but Yuzu and Yuya can be… exceptions. The only people two have ever called him a friend, the only two people Sora thinks he could call friends back.

So yeah, that works.

He can be a loyal soldier while keeping them safe, he can do that. So what if the Professor’s plans involve Yuzu, he’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it. If he can just get Serena back, then maybe it’ll keep the Professor occupied long enough for Sora to come up with something. Sora can’t ever join them, he knows his place, but if they can stay safe long enough for this world to reunite than that will be good enough for him.

-

Sending Dennis back is a risky choice, but overall necessary. Hopefully, by the time they realise what he’s done, and that Yuzu is here and not hiding somewhere in Standard, he’ll have managed to convince Yuya of his plan.

First steps first though, saving Yuzu. An act made simple by the fact apparently the end of Yuzu’s duel made most people think she was dead. Decurity will be on them soon enough but for now he has enough time to place her somewhere safe and try to let Yuya know. Hopefully, Yuya still trusts him enough to believe he’s well meaning –something tells him he will.

He doesn’t know if that thought should make him feel good or not.

-

“Sora!” Yuya calls as they finally stop, and Sora ignores him a moment longer, tracking the man on the D-wheel until he turns out of sight, the sound of his runner fading. “Sora is Yuzu safe?”

“She is,” he replies absently, still staring over the ledge. That felt… too easy, but he’ll have to take that risk for now, “I hid her somewhere, she’ll be fine for now.”

Yuya’s smile brightens, like it’s the best news he’s heard all year, like the fact Sora’s the one giving it makes it even better. And he speaks so casually, like Sora hasn’t done anything wrong.

Sometimes Sora wonders how the world works in Yuya’s head. However it does, it wouldn’t have lasted a week in Academia before being crushed and reformed into something unrecogniseable and Sora finds himself feeling happy that he never had to know, that that world was his alone to bear between the three of them.

Or at least it should’ve been, Yuya here in Synchro, planning to against Academia, was not something he had expected in the least. Especially after how their last meeting had ended. He tells him as much and Yuya’s expression wavers, like he had been trying not to think about it.

“Why are you here, Sora?” Yuya asks.

Sora opens his mouth and then closes it, clenching his hands at his side. “My mission, Academia’s goal – to unite the world – it’s important to me.” He tries.

Yuya’s expression shifts, suspicion finally filtering in. It shouldn’t hurt, it’s what he deserves, what his actions has earned, it’s what he’d been expecting from the start.

He still can’t bring himself to look at it.

“Where is Yuzu.” Yuya asks, but the question comes out so flat it sounds like a demand. “We know about Dennis, how he took Ruri. Was that your plan all along? To take Yuzu to Academia?”

“No!” He exclaims, the word bursting out of him before he can process it. “Yuya, Yuya I didn’t know about Yuzu, or Serena, any of them. I only learned about Serena when I got called back the first time, and I left the second time to see if I could find Yuzu, I thought they’d just taken her as mistake.”

“Then why are you here now?” Yuya presses, eyes hard. “To help destroy Synchro like they did XYZ? Destroy these innocent people’s homes like you did Kurosaki’s and Yuto’s?”

If the Professor ordered it, most likely, but it wasn’t why he was here now.

“I came here to save Yuzu.” He says firmly. “I couldn’t find her in Academia, but I did overhear the Professor talking, how he didn’t just want Serena back, but Yuzu as well. I don’t know why, they never even told me why Serena escaped or why we had to recapture her. It was just orders.” One he had planned on partly disobeying, at the start anyways, but an order nonetheless.

“Well your orders suck,” Yuya says petulantly, almost pouting.

“The Professor’s orders are law.” He responds with a sigh, he doesn’t know how to explain that, it’s just true. Born and bred into every Fusion resident from the moment they are born, and despite this attachment it doesn’t change that.

Sora’s feelings are going to get him killed, his actions are already bordering on traitorous. Trying to save Yuzu is stupid, it has no benefits, but he can’t stop himself from wanting to do it anyways.

He hates this feeling.

These irrational wants that are only going to get him killed yet he can’t help but strive for anyways.

“I came back to Standard and found out about the Lancer’s, which led me here, to you all.” He continues, staring at the ground. “I saw Dennis’ duel and knew what they had to be planning so I sent him back.”

Yuya starts at that, grabbing him by the shoulder. “You did _what_? Then they’re going to know about Serena and Yuzu, why would you do that?”

Sora scowls, pulling his shoulder free; “They were always going to find out, what I did was to give us time while they regroup. I have a plan.”

“A plan?”

“Serena’s like me, she was born and raised in Academia; I don’t see any reason to disobey the Professor’s orders to bring her back.” It was where she belonged after all. “Yuzu though…”

“Sora?” Yuya asks, the concerned note to his voice Sora remembers from before back in his tone.

“Academia is not a good place. If you want to advance, if you want to succeed, it’s easier to forsake everyone else for the sake of your goals. I didn’t have friends, I didn’t _need_ friends. But you and Yuzu you were…” the words catch and exhales, “you two were my first friends, I don’t want to see you guys get hurt or captured. So I have a proposal for you; give me Serena and I’ll give you Yuzu.”

“Serena?”

“You know where she is, right? So you should be able to bring her here.”

“And then what? What do you plan to do with her?”

“Weren’t you listening? Serena’s always been from Academia, I’m just… taking her back where she belongs. Then you can take Yuzu home, to Standard, you don’t have to deal with any of this.” He says, tone more pleading than he’d like as he watches Yuya’s expression shutter.

“You said yourself the Professor’s plans involve Yuzu, they’d just follow us home. I’m not giving her up, not her, not Yuzu, not anyone. Academia needs to be stopped, Sora, I’m not helping them with their goal.”

“You don’t have any way of doing that,” Sora argues, “The Obelisk Force is going to come here sooner or later. If you’d just give me Serena it would buy you some time, maybe even –”

“No matter what Academia is going to come for Yuzu, and you should know better than me nothing is going to stop that from happening.”

“But still I—"

“Academia is wrong, Sora. And you need to hurry up and see that, I know that you can.” Yuya says, a tone of finality in his voice that leaves Sora speechless.

It ends there, Security interrupting them, and Sora escapes with the promise to keep Yuzu safe.

It’s not hard a promise to make, it had been his intention from the start.

-

Yuzu isn’t where he left her, which isn’t as surprising as it should be. If Sora woke up in some random abandoned house he’d try to escape too.

He probably should’ve left a note or something.

Be that as it may he still needs to find her, which also isn’t as hard as it should be. It’s easy to track the increase in Security, no doubt centralising around Yuzu’s presumed location, and once he hears the telltale signs of a duel it’s just a matter of locating the sound.

It doesn’t take a thought to join the duel, if they were listening in before they know who Sora is, and what he’s doing, sneaking around won’t help anymore. And even if they don’t, something is clearly up here, this is too forceful to detain just one girl. These are the rational thoughts, but really, watching Yuzu cornered by those four guards it didn’t even take a moment to decide to interfere.

He wasn’t going to stand by and watch her get hurt, after all.

-

“… And I know that in your heart you know that too!” Yuzu says passionately, forcefully, hands held clutched close to her chest.

Sora wishes that the two of them would stop seeing whatever it is they see in him. Why can’t they just accept his help without wanting more. Sora can’t give more, it’s not allowed. Sora has been Academia’s since the day he was born, all its citizens were, but his mother had made sure there was never any choice.

Sora is a soldier, he’s just…

He doesn’t want to think about it. Sora’s doing more than just skating the line between soldier and traitor, he knows it. That this can’t last. Sora has to pick a side, but he can’t betray Academia, can’t let Yuzu get taken. And if Yuya plans on standing in his way, he doesn’t think he can take Serena either.

When Tsukikage arrives it’s almost a relief, for just a moment. Tsukikage who understands he’s an enemy, who has every reason to hate him and yet. Still stands down at Sora’s request. At Yuzu’s behest. At Yuya’s promise.

Sora knows this can’t go on, but he’s willing to push it aside until it’s all over.

-

Sora can’t betray Academia because it means that everything he’s ever strived for was all for nothing. Because it means that Sora is a failure at the one thing he was born to be.

And if that’s true, then what does it say about him?

-

Sora’s thoughts feel like they’re moving through a tunnel, one at a time on a single track. He can’t help Yuya, somethings wrong with him but he has to leave that to Crow – the Obelisk Force are more immediate threat. He couldn’t let them take either of the girls.

(He tries not to think about how it felt like just hours ago that he hadn’t cared about Serena, how he still didn’t really. But if it was what Yuzu and Yuya wanted…)

Leaving Yuya in Crow’s hands, he sets off after them, and really, they should be better at this. Sora spies on them with such ease he’s almost offended these are some of the best Academia has to offer. It works in his favour though, able to catch up with Tsukikage in time to help him avoid getting carded, and with in his information heading off once again after Serena and Reira.

As he takes out the two soldiers, gazing upon Reira’s terrified face and Serena’s determined anger, he thinks. _He really can’t do it_.

Even if he wanted to change his mind, he doesn’t think he could. Sora… Sora doesn’t want to make people hurt anymore. Not if it would make them sad, not if it would make Yuya and Yuzu look at him like they knew he could’ve been a better person, done something kinder.

(No one had ever looked at Sora and thought he was nice, that he could be a good person, and Sora was only ever doing better if he was improving his dueling skills. Sora was only worth something if he was doing something worth keeping.

No one had ever looked at Sora like he was worth something just as he was, that Sora had value just by being alive. That people could care about him with strings attached, that people could care about him at all.

At least, not before them.)

“I’m on your side.” He says, and he did not think it was possible to feel a weight being lifted off your shoulders while your lungs feel like they’re being crushed in a vice. But he doesn’t take it back, doesn’t want to.

Sora has never felt so much alive, vibrant and heart pounding, as he stands before the two of them. Yuya’s happy expectant gaze like a feather light touch on his soul. Present even through the guilt and betrayal that flash through him as Yuri stares them down.

Maybe it’s for the best everything that follows happens so fast he barely has time to process his choice.

-

It _was_ for the best. Because when they were too busy just trying to get everyone together, save Yuzu, then save Yuya, Sora didn’t have to think about it. Didn’t have to think of any of it. Not how he had betrayed Academia (an action that would surely have gotten him carded at best), not how he was surrounded by people he had already betrayed once (how could Tsukikage even stand next to him after what he’d done), not how despite everything not any of them seemed to care (Sawatari had started, but he’d cooled down at everyone’s defense, and then moved on like it no longer mattered), Sora hadn’t had a moment to think through any of it.

And now, at the end, seeing both of them together after everything, he couldn’t seem to think of anything else.

He couldn’t accept their forgiveness. He couldn’t… Sora doesn’t think he’s ever felt this conflicted in his life. He hates it.

Life was easier when he didn’t have to think about things like this. And yet, he couldn’t imagine himself making a single different decision. Or maybe he could, maybe he could’ve accepted Yuya’s hand the first time it reached out to him, but he knew that wouldn’t have happened. Sora could barely accept it now, let alone back then.

What Sora hates most is that despite everything, despite the fact every thought in his head seems to be berating his choice, he can’t regret it.

The time Sora spent in Standard was the best he’s ever had and he _wants_ it, even if he’s done nothing to deserve it. And that’s weakness, that’s bad, but he wants to embrace it anyways. Sora wants with the desperate insatiable fervor of a child young and unrestricted and it is something he has never felt, not something he has ever been allowed to want for.

“Sora!” A harried voice calls, hand wrapping firmly around his wrist and God is he really so far gone someone managed to sneak up on him that easily. He should just. He doesn’t know. Disappear maybe? That sounds easier than dealing with all of this. “Stop thinking!” The voice says, something flimsy yet firm whacking him on the head.

It doesn’t hurt, but it shakes him, cutting off his thoughts as he blinks up to see what it is. “… Yuzu? Where did that fan even come from.”

“She has magical powers.” Yuya says, smiling beside her though he leans away when she lifts it up threateningly. “Hey, not right now?” He tries, arms raised defensively, and Yuzu huffs.

“You’re right, but don’t think I’ll forget.” She says primly, before looking down at Sora. “Now you. Where do you think you’re running off to?”

A great question. “Not here?” A great question with a terrible answer.

Yuzu sighs, lifting a hand to her cheek, “I need friends with less issues, Gogenzaka I miss you dearly.” Her eyes lift skyward as she sighs again, far more dramatically.

“Hey!” Yuya sputters, “That’s… well that’s fair but still, hey!”

“Shush Yuya,” She scolds, then winces, “I was not ready to run that much yet.”

The comment stabs at him, shocking him like an open wound, he hurt her, who knows what she had been through felt like and he’d made her run after him, and he, he—

“Stop. Thinking.” She repeats, punctuating each word with a firm tap to the head.

“Thinking sucks,” Yuya adds, nodding his head, “can tell you very little good comes from thinking.”

“At the moment, I’ll agree with you.” Yuzu replies, looking as though the admission pains her and Sora can’t help it, he laughs.

Everything, every terrible thing they have been through, and they just stand there, bickering like kids? Is it really that easy?

“It’s not easy,” Yuya says, smile fading from his face into something softer, sadder, but no less genuine, “none of this is easy, but right now all that matters is that everyone is safe.”

“But I –”

“Even you.” Yuzu adds, loosening her hold around his wrist so she can move to interlace their fingers. “Where would I be without my teacher after all.”

“I’m not –”

“What you did isn’t just your fault, and you’ve already started trying to fix those mistakes.” Yuya concurs, “besides,” he says easily, “we’re friends, and that’s enough to me.”

“ _It can’t be that easy!_ ” He hisses, rushing the words out before they can interrupt him again.

Yuya stares, pursing his lips, and Yuzu sighs, gaze drifting away from him and towards Yuya. Some kind of silent conversation goes on between them, because suddenly Yuzu is moving away, Yuya taking her place.

“If we’re going to compare guilt, I think I have solid case for winning.” Yuya offers, tone too casual for the shuttered look in his eyes.

“That wasn’t, Zarc wasn’t you… my choices were my own.”

“Zarc is me.” Yuya replies, and his gaze drifts away for a moment like he’s seeing something else. The look fades, leaving a dry smile in it’s place, “He’s all four of us, and I – _we_ – can’t hide from that. What he did, what _we_ did as one, is as much my fault as it is his.”

“That’s not fair,” he argues, “how were you supposed to know. Those were circumstances outside of your control; you didn’t ask to be Zarc.”

Yuya’s responding grin is wry, “Oh? Really? I think being raised in a dimension that tells you war is okay and led by an evil Professor who tells you to destroy cities and card children and pretty much anything that breathes was kind of out of your control too.”

Sora gapes, words fumbling in his head. “That’s, that’s different, I could have chosen… Tenjoin! She was in the resistance not everyone was fooled but I –”

“Every single member of the resistance was part of Academia first,” Yuzu says firmly, “even Tenjoin. But they saw it was wrong and they changed, and so did you.”

“We all have things we have to work through Sora,” Yuya adds, “lots of us have made choices we might not exactly be proud of, but you don’t have to hide from us. If you have somewhere you’d rather be we won’t fight you, but you’ll always have a home in Standard with us. You deserve a happy ending just as much as any of us.”

“I’m,” a failure he wants to say, worthless his head chants, but the words stick in his throat, clogged by the tears welling in his eyes.

“You’re not a failure, and even if you are, you’re our failure.” Yuya says cheerily.

“Great wording.” Yuzu huffs, rolling her eyes.

“It is! I fail all the time, but you still have my back don’t you?”

“Yes,” Yuzu replies, exasperatedly fond, “and now I get to have another one.”

And somehow then he knows, without a doubt, that if given the choice he’d betray Academia again for Yuzu and Yuya in a heartbeat, again and again without question.

Sora had never been happier to be branded a failure, just as long as he was with them.

He scrubs at his eyes, rubbing away the tears that refuse to stop flowing. This is stupid, these words are stupid, and yet he can’t help but feel happy hearing them.

“You’re both terrible,” he mumbles.

Yuya gasps, clutching a hand to his chest. “We, we come back from the _dead_ to ask for your hand in friendship and this is how you treat us?” He swoons, drooping until his head falls onto Sora’s shoulder. “Attacked by one of my best friends.” He bemoans.

“So par the course,” Yuzu says.

“Yup!” Yuya chirps, using his lowered position to wrap his arms around Sora and lift him up into the air. “Now let’s go!”

“Put me down!” He not quite screeches, arching his back like a cat in an attempt to get free.

“Nope,” Yuya says with a pop, moving Sora so he’s sort of flopped over his shoulder. Sometimes Sora forgets that all those Action Duels and training have made Yuya weirdly strong –not that he’s one to talk. “We’re all tired, and I wanna go home and sleep.”

“Like Yuya said,” Yuzu follows, moving to walk in step beside Yuya, before Sora can get a word in, “if you have somewhere you want to go we won’t stop you. But, just for today, come home with us?”

Sora sighs, not wanting to argue, and focuses on ignoring how warm the comments make him feel. “Can I at least walk?”

“Nope,” Yuya repeats.

He doesn’t reply, trying to stifle the smile growing on his face.

Sora’s still not sure he deserves any of this, their friendship, their kindness, but for them he is willing to give it a try. He’s already gotten this far anyways.

Maybe he’s allowed to think things will be okay after all.

That’d be nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering about that one Obelisk kid Sora cards, that kid was uh. [cw?] suicidal. I can't imagine every student who decides this is fucked up joins the resistance, either because they don't know about it or simply don't have the strength of will to do it. That thought is incapsulted by that one random OC who did not want to fight for Academia anymore but was too scared to do anything about it, to him getting carded was almost like freedom, and is why his expression and reaction sticks with him the most to Sora.
> 
> All I really wanted when starting this fic, was to explore what it's like to be raised in an enviroment like Academia and Fusion, where everyones at least low-key kinda brainwashed into believing this is all cool and fiine, and then to realise wait this is fucked up. Especially Sora who clearly has? a lot of respect given to him despite his young age. Sora is 13 and given an infiltration and is given a whole lil batallion of Obelisk Soldiers. After Reira he's the youngest member of the cast and yet. you know...
> 
> I just love Sora a lot. This was titled Sora Love Mail in my drafts for a reason. I want him to be happy and on god Yuya and Yuzu are gonna give that to him. In fact, I might give this a second chapter in that regard. We'll see
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading!  
> 


	2. treat with care (it's with love and patience that we bloom)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something Sora is learning, is that something as mundane as wanting is something he's allowed to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out the like 3 people out there that are going to enjoy the next two chapters which can be summarized as "sora gets enrolled and school, and then attends, while dealing with emotional trauma". Riveting. I know. But I _loved_ writing it.  
> We're out here making self-indulgent content to the tune of currently 20k+.
> 
> beta-ed/edited by [Apple](https://twitter.com/thematchalight), who drew art of Sora in the Maiami Middle school jacket. I am STILL thinking about that tbh.
> 
> Some notes;  
> -I gave Academia the American (? I tried looking up a name for this but I couldn't find one, and also wikipedia told me canada considers 7-9 intermediate idek what that means. i live here.) Schooling system in which that grades are broken up 1-5, 6-8, and 9-12. And then lumped 6-12 together, and it's why in ch1 notes 14/15 is listed as acceptable mission age because that's 'highschool age'.  
> Maiami Middle however uses the Japanese way of breaking up years i.e 1-6, 7-9, 10-12.  
> Sora would be year 3 of 7 in Academia, but year 2 of 3 there. Writing this I think I fucked up the years in chapter 1 I'm going to have to look at that again. Is this relevant? Idk, but a point I'm making regardless.  
> -You will remember from chapter 1 notes that Obelisk soldiers are specifically graduated students, and also Sora has a mom.  
> \- DYK Shun refers to like. everyone by their first name? Regardless to how they refer to him? Disrespectful bro  
> \- This follows arc-v canon ending and thus yu4 and bracelet girls are still in one body. That doesn't really come up much because I'm not entirely sure how to portray it in a fic from Sora's POV.
> 
> I think that's everything I wanted to go over for this chapter, there'll be a few more at the end though. For now, enjoy!

“What do you mean you have nothing for me to do.” Sora scowls, slamming his hands on the desk.

Edo for his part smiles nervously, staring forlornly at the paperwork that Sora is obscuring. Sora considers for a second pitying him, he’s the highest official that wasn’t a corrupt asshole and that’s left him with the brunt of the responsibility in the aftermath, but Edo doesn’t deserve his pity.

They’re both trying to make things right, it’s just par the course for their lives now.

“There just… isn’t.” Edo replies, trying to tug the paper out from underneath Sora’s grasp. Sora, petty and childishly, presses his hands harder against it.

“I was here three days ago, and there was _plenty_ to do.” Academia just in and of itself was a mess, without even beginning to consider everything else. As if disassembling a military state just happened overnight. “There still is plenty to do, don’t lie to me.”

Edo frowns, gaze moving out towards the window. “I am not lying to you.”

His scowl deepens, shoulders hunching upwards but before he can reply the door swings open, and he shifts to see Tenjoin standing at the door.

“Sora? Why are you here?” Tenjoin asks, a note of confusion in her voice and Sora bristles.

Why is that weird! He’s been coming here a few times a week ever since everything ended. Yoko-san may have practically forced him to move in with them (not that he minded, the only thing that made Academia home was the fact he’d been born here) but none of them have stopped him from going.

“ _To help_.” He hisses, leaning back away from the table to send both Tenjoin and Edo a glare. “Why is that so wrong all of the sudden!” He exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air. Absolutely ridiculous at this point.

This is one of the few things Sora has left, one of the few things he can do to make an effort. Shouldn’t everyone here understand that.

“It’s not wrong,” Edo sighs, “There’s just nothing here I have to give you.”

Again Tenjoin interrupts before he can argue against the statement.

“We’ve already assigned all the tasks we have for the day,” Tenjoin says shortly, but kindly, “maybe try again tomorrow, or the day after.”

He grits his teeth, he still feels like they’re hiding something, but this is clearly going nowhere and at this point, it’s just a waste of time to be here.

“God. You know what fine, you can all be weird.” He snaps, hands clenched at his side as he carefully does not shove by Tenjoin to exit the room.

“Sora!” Edo calls out but he ignores it, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he storms down the hallway.

It’s just. He sighs, letting out a frustrated breath, and resisting the urge to scream.

It’s fine, _it’s fine_.

He’ll head over to XYZ, Kurosaki or Dennis will have something for him to do.

-

Sora walks around a bit first, just to see if he can spot something to do despite their words.

He doesn’t.

Instead he watches others go about their tasks. Obelisk Soldiers, masks removed but outfits still the same, talking as they sort through rubble. Adults that definitely weren’t teachers here shouting something as a few more on an upper level shift some boards around. Some students Sora vaguely recognises as the graduating class handing out food to those resting.

There’s something missing here and all of the sudden, Sora feels wholly unwelcome.

Maybe for now, it is for the best that he leaves.

-

“You’re like,” he starts, then huffs, “you have to be fucking joking right now, right?” Sora asks flatly, giving Kurosaki a level stare to which he predictably reacts with his own.

Kurosaki is not known for his wide range of emotions.

“No.” He replies helpfully.

Sora waves a desperate arm at all the rubble around him, the steady flow of both residents and Academia Soldiers moving through it all. “You have eyes right?”

Kurosaki’s gaze grows colder and Sora flinches, that was callous and unnecessary but apologizing to Kurosaki would just annoy him. “I do, I can see perfectly well the state of things.”

Sora doesn’t fidget, because he’s not nervous, but he does avert his gaze. “Then it’s obvious you guys could use an extra hand.”

Kurosaki closes his eyes, inclining his head in agreement, “You have a point, pipsqueak.”

Sora does not react to the name calling, because he probably deserved it for the first comment and also because Sora was just clearly the bigger person in this relationship.

“So then,” Sora says slowly, suspiciously, “I can help out right?”

“No.” Kurosaki says again, just as nonsensical as the first time he heard it.

“Are you trying to annoy me?” Sora says carefully, he and Kurosaki are on better terms now, but he won’t put it past him to want to purposefully get on his nerves. It’s not like it would be unwarranted. Sora does it too after all.

“No.” Kurosaki repeats, but this time there’s a slight upwards tilt to his mouth, so he’s definitely enjoying this.

“You definitely are.” Sora accuses, eyes narrowed.

“I was not,” Kurosaki replies and then definitely smiles, “but I was just now.” He concedes.

He pouts and Kurosaki raises an eyebrow, Sora sticks out his tongue. “Stop acting like the bully you love dressing as and be serious will you.”

Kurosaki’s expression somehow screams his opinion on what Sora telling him to ‘get serious’ is, and Sora gleefully ignores it.

“I was being serious, I have no tasks to give you.”

His eyes narrow. “Well, then maybe not you, but what about Kaito or Dennis?” Unlike Academia, Heartland had no hierarchy, not anymore. Most of its population had been carded before anyone could understand what was happening and most of the adults and children had gone into hiding unless they could duel.

The resistance had been led primarily by teenagers and whatever few adults were left.

Now in the aftermath, they were left with a population who for the majority had a last memory of being turned into a card, now dropped into the desolate wasteland of what was once their home.

(Sora very carefully avoided interacting too much with others while he was here. Academia soldiers were here, they helped, it wasn’t that that was a problem.

It was that Sora didn’t know what to do if someone recognised him here, if _he_ recognised someone here.

He much prefers helping out in Academia to here, but that weighing guilt wasn’t enough to make him not come. Sora had no business running from his guilt, his regrets, it was his duty to face them in at least some form of atonement.)

As a result, it was mainly Kaito and Kurosaki running things for now, until people could settle and catch up. Sora thought it was hilarious at first, because it was clear that the two of them hated it, but the fact of the matter was most people here saw the two of them as heroes after everything. Thankfully, Dennis stuck around to provide a less surly existence to balance the two. Sometimes Sora was kind of jealous Dennis had found a place to so perfectly fit into.

To help out.

(Sora had Yuzu and Yuya, but that felt like a gift, something so precious he was sometimes scared to touch it.)

Kurosaki sighs, like remembering other people exist is paining him. “Dennis is entertaining the kids, Kaito is… being Kaito somewhere. Sayaka went after him so it’ll be fine.” He sighs again, “She was supposed to stay behind too though so.” He trails off, adjusting his coat in frustration.

Sora blinks as Kurosaki straightens himself, looking back at Sora.

“We’re mainly reorganizing today, people are starting to settle in. The old mayor and officials were decarded the other day and are just about caught up with everything. We might be able to finally transfer leadership away from me and Kaito, though at this point I don’t think they’re going to let us go completely.” Kurosaki sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s nice to be so prominent in the rebuilding of Heartland but this is not something I would have signed up for.”

Sora shifts, again feeling something uncomfortable flip around his stomach. “I guess I get it…” he says, at least Kurosaki seems genuinely busy as opposed to Edo’s very clear sketchiness.

“Go home, Sora.” Kurosaki says at length, an unfamiliar note to his voice and for some reason Sora feels embarrassed.

“I don’t know –”

“I have received five separate messages from Sakaki asking if I knew where you were, and to tell you to head home if I spot you.” He interrupts.

Sora’s been gone for simply a few hours, Yuya’s supposed to be in _school_. Why the hell would he be messaging about his whereabouts. Is he forgetting something?

“Um.”

Again, Kurosaki’s lips twitch up into a smile. “You should head back, people are waiting for you.” This time, the note in Kurosaki’s tone is undeniably wistful and Sora physically leans away from it.

“Right. Yeah,” he says dumbly, “if you guys need anything let me know I guess.”

Kurosaki nods and Sora thinks he’s free to go before Kurosaki speaks up again, “You know you’re welcome to come just to visit.” He says and Sora stills, “You were alright with that Entertainment Dueling,” He continues casually, as if he’s not talking about the duel the two of them had that ended with Sora in the hospital after trying to brutally destroy Kurosaki and alerted Academia of Yuzu’s existence, “you could duel with Dennis, the kids would like it.”

For one long moment Sora can’t breathe.

(He doesn’t think he ever realised that it was his fault Academia found Yuzu so easily.

And Kurosaki wanted him to duel? For fun? _Him?_ )

“Sora?”

“I’m fine.” He forces out, knowing he took too long to reply but not caring.

Kurosaki takes a step forward, a concerned frown on his face but Sora takes one back, keeping the distance between them even as he pulls out his duel disk.

“Sora.” Kurosaki repeats more firmly, a determined set to his brow.

“See you later.” Sora says quickly, pressing a button on his duel disk.

Sora wants to leave.

Sora wants to go _home_ , even if he doesn’t think he should be allowed to call it that.

-

Sora drops unceremoniously onto the floor, and usually he’d catch himself easily but his legs seem to tremble and flop beneath him. He groans, shutting his eyes and pressing them against his knees. He hears footsteps, and something soft brushing against him as the footsteps approach.

“Mom? I think Sora’s back.” Yuya’s voice calls, louder as he gets closer. “Yeah that’s definitely – _Sora?_ ”

A clatter and Sora starts, eyes snapping open to see Yuya vaulting over the couch to land on the floor beside him.

“Sora are you alright?” Yuya asks, gaze trailing over him. “Did you get hurt?”

“‘M fine,” he mumbles, “just landed wrong.”

“… Sure.” Yuya replies, sitting down on the floor next to him, casually placing one hand over his. Sora hates just how much his whole body relaxes at the contact.

Sora thinks that if it were Yuzu or Yoko they would ask what was wrong, press for more after Sora’s initial dismissal, but Yuya seems content to just sit there with Core weaving between them. Sora hasn’t really known Yuya long enough to be sure, but he thinks the fact he seems to enjoy these quiet contemplative moments is a new development.

He appreciates it, choking down the apologies squirming in his throat. He knows without voicing them what the response would be. That Academia would have found Yuzu anyways, that who cares even if he had, Academia hadn’t captured Yuzu until way later and they would’ve found her in Synchro anyways. Sora can hear it, steady and there, and though it can’t be more than a couple more minutes he feels centered by the time Yoko walks into the room, one eyebrow raised as she finds them both sitting on the floor.

“Are we having a floor party?” She asks, leaning her hands against the couch.

“Yup.” Yuya grins, “We’ve even got Core joining in.”

Yoko nods firmly, like this is a very important discussion, and then copies her son and vaults over the couch. Though unlike Yuya, she slides down and sits atop it.

“You both good down there or do you want to get up?” Yoko asks and Sora blinks, feeling like he’s missing something.

“I’m good down here,” Yuya says, then leans his head towards Sora, “You?”

“I’m… good?”

“Perfect!” Yoko says, clapping her hands together. “Now, to start, why’d you head out this morning?”

“Uh,” He’s not sure what to say to that, was it a problem? It’d never been one before.

“We were supposed to have a talk today.” Yoko continues when Sora doesn’t reply, and she doesn’t look quite disappointed but there is a certain sternness to her gaze as she looks at Sora.

Sora has dealt with far worse, but it still makes something uneasy in him squirm.

But… “We were?” If one of them plans on needing him for something they usually tell him, Sora doesn’t remember either of them saying anything of the sort to him as of late.

Yoko’s gaze shifts into something less firm and more uncertain, she frowns. “Yeah, didn’t Yuya…” Her gaze hardens again, but this time it’s not aimed at him. “ _Yuya_.”

Hand still resting atop his Sora feels the way Yuya stiffens at the calling, an awkward, stilted, laugh slipping past his lips. His other arm raises as he rubs the back of his head. “Uhm…”

“ _Sakaki Yuya.”_ Yoko repeats, all the stern frankness of a mother as she sits a little straighter. Sora shifts, averting his gaze and determinedly ignoring the way it makes his skin scrawl.

“I… forgot?” Yuya offers hesitantly. “Come on mom, it’s been a lot of paperwork, it slipped my mind.” He says petulantly, voice almost a whine and Sora, well Sora’s confused.

Paperwork?

“Yes, yes,” Yoko says, smiling fondly, “you’ve been working really hard. I suppose I can forgive your little slip up –but no pancakes for the rest of the week.”

“ _Mom!”_ Yuya gasps, and Sora laughs as Yoko’s grin turns just slightly wicked.

“There are consequences for our actions,” she says sagely, still grinning, “and don’t forget to message everyone an apology since this was your own fault for forgetting.”

Yuya nods, even as his gaze gets that faraway look that they’ve learned means he’s speaking to someone who isn’t here.

Well, here to them anyways.

“Yuto remembered and Yuri wouldn’t let him remind me,” Yuya sighs, “if you guys won’t even help me remember things what’s the point.” Yuya flinches after that and grumbles through an apology. “I stand by it though.” He mutters.

He says it all casually, but Sora notes the tense line of his shoulders, and the way his other hand seems to curl into the fabric of the carpet beneath them. Sora notes this, and remembers Yuya’s words back then, how they all had things to work through. Are any of them doing that? Sure Sora feels happier here than he probably ever has in his life before but…

But.

Sora’s traitorous mind supplies how none of this was an issue when he was still a dutiful Academia soldier and he shakes his head in frustration.

“You know what,” Yoko says and both Yuya and Sora’s gaze snaps up to her, “I think we’ll move this to the kitchen. I’ll make some tea.”

“Oh,” Yuya says faintly, “you don’t have to do i—”

Yoko hums, “It wasn’t a suggestion.”

“What’s going on?” He asks, even if the words don’t register as his for a moment.

“We’ll explain in the kitchen.” Yoko replies, standing up from the couch and gesturing at them to follow.

And he does, bewildered but glancing at Yuya only gains him a thumbs up.

Sora blinks, before Yoko’s earlier words filter through.

“It’s your fault no one let me help!” He accuses, pointing a finger at Yuya who laughs sheepishly.

“I could guess where you went when you weren’t in your room, so I uh, texted them.” Yuya says, and then, like it makes everything better, continues with; “Yugo thought it was a great idea.”

Sora scowls, he _knew_ Edo was lying to him, but why not just tell him Yuya was looking for him like Kurosaki had. Or maybe he had, he had been calling out to him when he stormed out after all.

Still, he remembered Edo’s and Tenjoin’s tone, remembered the awkward and uncomfortable feeling he’d felt.

There was something else, he just didn’t know what.

“Whatever.” He says, and Yuya sighs in relief, “You could have just messaged me, you know that right?”

The wide set of Yuya’s eyes said otherwise and Sora sighed.

Yuzu apparently really was just friends with a bunch of idiots, and Sora regrettably counted himself amongst them.

-

Yoko hums as she ignores Sora’s curious gaze, placing a plate of cookies on the table before bending down and placing some kibble down for En and Watt who had wandered in soon after them.

“So are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Sora finally asks, tired of silence and knowing glances. His question makes Yuya jerk, hand pausing in the middle of reaching for a cookie.

“Oh!” He shouts, clapping his hands together before excusing himself from the table, his footsteps resounding as he bolts up the stairs.

“You raised a weird kid.” He remarks in the wake of his departure and Yoko gives a warm smile.

“All my kids are interesting and perfect just the way they are.” She says a certain glint to her gaze that Sora avoids by busying himself with picking the perfect cookie.

He’s saved from any further comments by Yuya’s subsequent arrival, landing with a thud on the floor beside him, one hand held away from him as it loosely grips some papers.

“Was the pole really the right choice?” Yoko reprimands, picking the papers out of Yuya’s fingers.

“It was the fastest.” Yuya says seriously, “Also the most fun!” He adds with a grin.

Yoko smiles as Sora sighs. It circles back to, as most things tend to with Yuya, the pure enjoyment of things.

“Can’t argue with that.” Yoko says with a nod, and Sora would argue that not only could one argue with that, they probably should, but holds his tongue. Mainly because he’d mostly say it just to be contrary and not because he has anything actually against it.

The fireman’s pole in the Sakaki household is both an interesting and useful feature, even if it’s one Sora can’t imagine in any home but this one.

“Anyways,” she continues as she pours cups of tea, “now that we’re finally ready I guess we can start.”

“Start with _what_?” Sora stresses, annoyed as he lifts the cup of tea to his mouth. He frowns at it, entirely too sweet just the way he likes, and Yoko winks at him when he looks up at her.

“Oh you know…” Yuya drawls, popping another cookie into his mouth.

Sora glares, tugging the plate closer to him in defiance, “No, no I don’t.”

Yuya pouts as Yoko huffs out another laugh at the remark.

“We aren’t trying to be cagey,” she offers, still smiling, “we were supposed to talk about this over breakfast but _someone_ forgot to tell you about that. Though you did leave earlier than you usually do, you were gone before Yuya would’ve even left for school.”

Sora pauses, flexing his fingers uselessly. He’d woken up shaking from a dream he couldn’t remember, the details of it slipping through his fingers like sand, leaving nothing but a pressure on his chest and the unrelenting feeling that he was doing something wrong. He knew it was too early, knew he shouldn’t have or at least should have left a note but Sora had wanted so bad to feel _useful_ to chase that feeling away that he hadn’t even really thought. Had just gotten ready and was on his way to Academia before he could really process the choice.

Not that he’d gotten the chance to, at either place. At the thought the pressure seemed to come back, pressing and choking and he tried one of those strategies Yuzu had suggested. Take a breath, focus on happier thoughts, happier memories.

Sora didn’t have many happy memories, but the ones he did have featured mainly the same people, and two of them were right here with him. He takes a breath in, holds it, and then lets it out.

When he opens his eyes Yoko is gazing at him, eyes soft, as she rests her chin on her intertwined fingers.

His cheeks redden as he startles, “Why isn’t Yuya in school anyways?” Sora had left early, and had only been gone a few hours, Yuya should have left by now, Yuya shouldn’t be home for another three hours.

“Mom let me skip!” Yuya chirps, looking unnecessarily proud of that.

“We could’ve waited till tomorrow, or even this evening.” Yoko says mildly, like she wants to make an attempt at seeming like a responsible adult but doesn’t have the heart for it.

“Neither of us wanted to wait that long.” Yuya says aghast, one hand pressed dramatically against his chest.

“I might scream.” Sora says, thinking about how everyone seems content to have conversations right over his head in front of him today. Conversations that involved _him_ even. It was supposed to be a thought, but when he sees Yoko and Yuya’s concerned expressions he realizes he had spoken allowed. “I’m not serious.” He says flatly, and Yuya snorts.

“Well before you change your mind on that,” Yoko says with a wink, “I suppose we should explain.”

She says that, but pauses, placing the papers she’d been holding on the table and uselessly flattening them beneath her palms. She’s nervous, Sora notes, and a quick glance at Yuya notices he’s fidgeting too.

Something akin to dread pools in Sora’s stomach, his hands feel far too cold even around the warmth of the teacup.

His mind flashes to the feeling of discomfort as he walked through Academia, the way he couldn’t bring himself to look at any of the Heartland residents.

“Do you want me to leave?” He asks, cringing at how soft his voice comes out, like he can’t even bring himself to ask the question.

Even now Sora can’t stand feeling weak.

He hates even the thought of it, but Sora can’t bring himself to argue otherwise. If that’s the case, then Sora will just leave, he knew this was always temporary. The war may be over, Academia might be getting rebuilt and remodeled to wipe away all traces of the Professor’s reign but everything they did is still there. He’d known way back before he’d really known any of them, Sora did not belong here in idealistic untouched Maiami City.

Sora knows, he’s known this was a possibility from the start.

He shouldn’t feel like this.

There are arms wrapping around him before he can process the fact they’re even there. A warm solid presence, and then another, enveloping them both.

“Sora you’re welcome here as long you want.” Yuya says into his shoulder. Voice firm even though muffled, “Right mom?”

“Of course,” she agrees easily, the hand she has around Sora’s shoulder squeezing harder for a moment, pushing both Yuya and Sora closer before the grip relaxes. “I’d never ask a member of my family to leave.”

Yoko says the words casually, firmly, with no hesitation. He feels his eyes water and sting, but he swallows them back. Sora’s not going to cry over some words, that’s stupid.

“Then why did you hesitate?” He asks, still unable to take how brittle the words come across.

Yoko sighs, a quiet exhalation of breath, an action Sora’s own mother had done countless times. But where whenever she had done it felt sharp, disappointment poignant in each motion, with Yoko it simply feels like that. A breath, a release.

Something about that makes Sora feel dizzy.

He squirms in their grip, too warm and enclosed. “Get off.” He grumbles before she can reply and both of them relent, Yuya lingering a second longer to look him in the eye before sliding back into his seat.

“It’s nothing bad,” Yoko says once they’ve settled back into their seats, “I just wasn’t sure how you’d react.”

“Mom’s worried you’ll be mad,” Yuya offers, “and if you are, I’d like to point out this was like mainly my idea.” He continues, looking oddly proud about it. The casual smugness of it makes Sora snort, and eases some of the unsteadiness rolling through him.

“Yes, you brought it up and picked up all the paperwork,” Yoko says, appeasing, then turns to Sora. “Sora if you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to, but I’d like you to seriously consider it.”

She pushes the papers on the table towards him and Sora eyes them warily, then turns to look at Yuya suspiciously.

“Why do you need to be here?” Whatever this is, it’s clearly something official if paperwork is involved. Yuya may have gotten them _whatever that means_ but he shouldn’t be needed.

“Moral support.” Yuya says, eyes deadly serious even as a grin pulls at his lips.

Sora snorts, finally picking up the papers and raising an eyebrow at the familiar logo emblazoned at the top. Again his gaze flickers to Yuya, this time in blatant suspicion, but the other is watching with curious innocent eyes so Sora turns back, scanning the rest of the page.

Enrollment papers.

For him.

For Maiami Second Middle School.

The same school Yuya and Yuzu attend.

He stares at it, blinks, then continues staring inanely hoping the words on the paper will rearrange themselves, form into something that will perhaps make sense.

“School?” He says airily, and means to say more but the words falter, fumble.

“School.” Yoko confirms, “We want to enroll you in school here.”

“It’ll be fun,” Yuya says, practically vibrating with excitement, “you can have lunch with me and Yuzu, sometimes Sawatari and Gogenzaka come if they’re free. Make friends!”

“And learn.” Yoko adds flatly, but Yuya waves a dismissive hand at that.

“You want me to go to school.” He reiterates, and if they reply he does not hear it. The last school he went to was Academia, the one before it blurry with memories of whiny children and the starker, sharp, presence of his tutors forcing lesson after lesson.

Sora thinks of Yuya calling this fun and does not know how to relate the concept of school with anything but pain.

He knows, clinically, like something read from a book, that this school would be nothing like that. The way Yuzu complains of Yuya sleeping through classes, the casual way he sees many of its students dress despite the uniform. The fact that in the morning the only thing Yuya seems to be dreading is the fact he’s woken up that early at all, or some English test he bemoans not studying for. None of that would fly in Academia, in the house he grew up in.

Standard is peaceful, all the dimensions are now, but Standard has always been so. Sora had noted that from the beginning and reminds himself of that everyday when he sees something that makes alarm bells ring in his head but means absolutely nothing here.

Standard is peaceful, and while Sora appreciates that it is something he appreciates from a distance. Something he is not a part of.

“I’m busy.” He eventually says.

“With what?” Yoko counters, a steely note to her tone that Sora does not hear often.

“Academia stuff…” he replies and somehow feels childish in saying so. “They need help, I help.”

“Yuya helps out too,” Yoko says blandly, “so do the rest of them, even I have convinced Yusho to take me to Heartland and help out where I can.” Yoko’s gaze feels like a brand as she looks at him, he shivers. “We aren’t telling you to stop, but it doesn’t have to be the only thing you do.”

The words die in Sora’s throat. He… he… it _has_ to be. Sora needs to feel useful, needs to feel like he’s making up for it. Needs to be doing something that _matters_.

“It _shouldn’t_ be the only thing you do.” Yuya says, angrier than he usually speaks. Yuya seems to realize that because Sora can hear the heavy breath he lets out after, loud and clear.

“You’re thirteen Sora.” Yoko states, a flat three-word sentence that makes Sora blink. Yes, he is. That’s true. Why is she bringing that up? “It’s not the job of children to fix the world, even if it’s what happened to all of you. And I’m sorry we couldn’t do more, that we left the fate of four dimensions to a handful of children, but that’s over and now it’s our turn. Adults can rebuild, we can reorganize, it’s _your_ job to be a child.” Her tone, steady and unwavering throughout softens with her expression, “It’s your job to have fun, and my job to make sure you can.”

“But I –” Have to. Should. Must.

“You,” Yoko says when he does not continue, “did the best you could given your situation. It’s okay if you don’t agree right now, but it’s not your job to fix everything because of the things you’ve done. You can make up for the things you need to, the things you want to, but you don’t need to let it consume everything you are.”

It feels like someone has shoved cotton down his throat, his mouth dry as words sputter and die out before he can voice them. Like a record film the events from this morning flash through his mind. The discomfort and the awkwardness as he looked around. And Sora realizes with a start there hadn’t been anyone his age around. He’d seen them the first couple times, but thinking back the number had been decreasing. Were they all really just…

Suddenly Sora is struck with the thought that Yuya had a reason for messaging Edo and Kurosaki, and it wasn’t just that he wanted to know where Sora was. He wanted to make sure what Sora _wasn’t_ doing. It makes him angry for a moment, what right does Yuya have to stop him, even if all the other students had stopped he… they…

Those kids are different, _he_ was different. He –

“You’ve been hurt too.” Yoko says, cutting through his thoughts. “And it might not excuse the hurt you’ve caused others, but you can’t forget that either. You’re allowed to want to be happy Sora.”

“And if you don’t want that,” Yuya interjects, “then we’ll want it for you till you do.”

There is something so heartwarmingly idiotic about that sentence that Sora laughs, the sound pitching as his vision blurs. Too much, _too much_ , and his mind furiously denies he deserves any of this kindness.

But he thinks of Yoko’s words ringing in his ears, Yuzu’s hands warm around his, Yuya’s steady and bright smile.

He lets out a breath.

He can try.

“You think _school_ will make me happy.” He says snidely and he can almost feel Yuya’s grin.

“I think a regular environment might help.” Yoko says.

“And _I_ think you should suffer through English and math classes with me.” Yuya adds.

He nods, giving the papers another look, pausing again when he spots something amiss.

“This says I’m 14.” He frowns, but both Yoko and Yuya look far too innocent when he gazes at them.

“Oh no,” Yoko says, mouth open in shock, “how could we make such a foolish mistake, Yuya?”

“I don’t know mom,” Yuya replies, face contorted in an expression of genuine grief, “maybe someone at the school heard me wrong and typed it in like that.”

Yoko sighs, lifting a hand to her mouth, “I suppose there’s nothing to do now, we’ll just have to let the school know so they can fix it.”

“After the placement test.” Yuya says sorrowfully.

“After the placement test.” She agrees with a quiet nod.

“Are you two done?” He asks flatly and the two of them grin, Yuya throwing up a peace sign.

“Yup, tell me my acting was great though.” Yuya replies, and Sora avoids answering that it kind of was by stuffing a cookie into Yuya’s mouth. His answering sputter as he gasps around it is satisfying.

“If you want us to fix it we will.” Yoko says through a smile, eyes glittering with amusement. “But I thought this was a lot, and that maybe some familiar faces would make it easier. We’re going to fix it anyways, but we think if you place well for Yuya’s grade first then maybe they’ll let you stay there.”

Sora tries to imagine it. Waking up every morning and getting ready for school with Yuya. Meeting Yuzu on the way while she complains about something her dad did last night and chiding Yuya for once again ignoring his homework. Sitting in a classroom answering math problems with no real purpose, some innocent kid looking at him with bored eyes and asking if they can borrow his eraser because they forgot theirs. Finding Sawatari and playing a prank on him just to watch how he sputters at being made a fool of. Walking together to You Show, instead of just meeting them there.

Sora tries to imagine it, but the images of such a mundane life seem too foreign for even his head to conjure. He realizes though, that the papers before him make it so he doesn’t have to. He could just live it. Could experience it himself in real time.

“No, it’s fine.” He eventually replies, he’s seen Yuya’s homework, anything simpler than that would be absolutely mind-numbing. The only class Yuya had that gave Sora more than some amount of difficulty was English, it wasn’t a subject they’d ever touched on in Academia. Not much more than the fact some cards used the language for their names.

Still… “What if,” he begins, but falters, tongue lying heavy in his mouth. Too many questions circling in his head all at once at even the prospect of accepting this. “What if I don’t like it.” 

“Then you won’t have to anymore.” Yoko replies, giving Yuya a level stare when he sputters. “No that does not apply to you, and no that is not ‘not fair’.”

“I wasn’t gonna say that.” Yuya frowns, before turning his attention back to Sora. “So, will you?”

Sora can think of hundreds of reasons why this is a terrible idea. Why it could never work. Why he isn’t meant for such a simple normal thing.

He can think of all those reasons, and more, and yet.

He’d like to give it a try.

Sora… wants to and he’s allowed to want. Allowed to want for things as simple as this. Allowed to push past the voice in his head that says he’s never going to deserve this and reach out for it anyways.

(And then, maybe one day, it can go away entirely.)

“Okay.” He says, faintly, and then more firmly, “I’ll give it a try.”

Yuya lets out a whooping cheer, once again deciding it is perfectly okay to lift Sora in the air and spin him around like he’s one of their pets. Why does Yuya keep _lifting_ him.

“Put me down.” He snaps, “You definitely didn’t need to skip school for this, you just didn’t want to go. What kind of argument does that make for me going.”

Yuya frowns, but does not pause in his twirling, “Just for that. No, I will not put you down.” And then without missing a beat turns to Yoko and continues, “can we order in for lunch?”

“I suppose we can,” Yoko agrees, smiling when Sora spots her amongst the spinning, “any preferences.”

“Nope!” Yuya replies, “You Sora?”

“No,” he huffs eventually, expectant eyes boring into him.

“Then it can be a surprise!” He exclaims, arms jerking like he’s about to throw Sora into the air before he thinks better of it, finally placing him gently on the ground.

“I’m changing my mind.” He says as the room stops spinning.

“You can’t!” Yuya says, the wobble in his lip betrayed by the twinkle in his eye as he clutches at Sora’s shoulders.

He sighs, no, no he won’t.

-

As they waited for their late lunch to arrive Yoko had called up the school and set up an appointment for his test; next Wednesday right after classes would end for the day. It gave him five days to prepare, which according to Yoko the school said was plenty of time.

She had seemed annoyed, but Sora didn’t really mind, in fact the waiting was more stressful than the thought of the test. A feeling confirmed when Yuya had brought home a study package that was supposed to go over most of what he could expect and the only part he was severely struggling with was the English section as he had expected. The history was completely different than what he knew, and not just because of the fact he was in a different dimension. It casually went over being one of four dimensions like it was a common day fact.

Even Yuya had blinked at that, but he supposed it was just one of the little changes of this world now.

Regardless, Sora had spent most of the five days with Gongenzaka and Yuzu before him trying to force an entire four years of learning into two days and Sora supposed he should be grateful but if Yuzu whacked him with that fan or Gongenzaka lifted him by the collar one more time he might lose it.

It did not help that Yuya usually participated by sleeping on the table beside them. Sora took revenge on him by drawing on his face more than once, an act that neither Yuzu or Gogenzaka ever stopped, and he had once seen Yuzu add her own flower when she thought no one was looking.

Still, the days passed with Sora grasping a hopefully passable knowledge of the subjects he was struggling in, and then it was Wednesday and Yoko was driving them to the school.

Sora is… not nervous. He had never failed a test before; years of studious and demanding instruction had left him a quick learner. Yet it’s definitely trepidation that fills him as he walks up towards the gate, slowing his steps and pausing them right at the entrance.

“Yoko-san! You’re late!” Yuzu’s voice calls and Sora looks up to see her running up to them, Yuya watching more casually behind her.

“Bet she wanted to look cool on her motorcycle so she purposefully left late to have an incentive to go fast.” He snickers, then looks up and pales, presumably at Yoko’s expression. “I mean…” he began, but then trails off, whistling nonchalantly.

“No time for that,” Yuzu huffs, grabbing Sora by the hand and dragging him forward, “the receptionist was already giving us dirty looks! Which were totally uncalled for, by the way, we have a right to support a friend, what’s it any of her business what we do after school. You think she’d appreciate it, what, rather we be smoking or something?” She continues angrily, stomping her feet forward and Sora watches in detached bemusement as her tirade washes over him, interspersed with the sound of Yuya’s laughter.

It feels like barely a moment has passed when an unfamiliar face is looking down at him.

“Shiunin Sora, correct?” The man says, and his stern face was belied by a surprisingly warm voice.

“… yes.” He replies belatedly when the silence stretches.

The man nods, gesturing towards an open door, “The test will proceed here, you will have three hours to complete it.”

“Break a leg!” Yuya cheers, Yoko and Yuzu sighing beside him, “you’re gonna rock that test.”

“No thanks to you,” Yuzu mutters and Yuya gasps, staring at Yuzu wide-eyed.

“Thanks,” he says with a laugh and enters the room, the man closing the door behind him.

Inside is a small room with a singular desk; a chair, pencil, and test on top and in the corner, a table where a boy who looks a year or two older than Yuya is scrolling through his Duel Disk sprawled lazily over his seat. He blinks up at him when the door closes shut, staring at Sora blankly for a moment before nodding.

“I’m the supervisor or whatever, making sure you don’t cheat. Lemme know if you need anything.” He says, and then goes back to looking at the device.

Deciding to ignore that introduction since he had no idea what to say to it that would not come across as rude or sarcastic, he sits down at the table and picks up the pencil. The sooner he got through this, the better.

-

The test was almost entirely multiple choice and the boy who had stayed in the room with him went off to get it scanned while the man from the beginning looks through the few written answers.

-

He passes of course, and Yoko celebrates by taking all of them out to eat, an event that passed in a haze of contentment and laughter.

He was a regular student now, he supposed, and the thought was almost exciting.

He was… a regular kid now.

And that was the thing that was going to take some getting used to.

But he was going to try. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter points:  
> \- Placement tests are usually not required when transferring schools. Schools have access to records and will place you where you should be according your age (I've had friends moved up and down years when they moved countries due to this.) When I moved all I really remember is being told I couldn't continue with the gifted program unless I went into french immersion. I did not know french and was overwhelmed enough so we did not do that. However, since Sora has no previous records (could they access Academia records? Probably, but eh), he'd have to be tested to be sure he can match the curriculum for his grade level. These tests usually cover core subjects like english, math, and sciences. History probably wouldn't be one of them and neither would any arts related subject. This is of course based on my knowledge/experience idk how Japan does things and trying to google this just kept getting me university testing.  
> -Don't you need parental approval for all this? Probably, in Standard Sora might as well be an orphan even in these connected universes Sora just does not have documentation that would legally allowed to let him be here most likely. We have forged paperwork to put him under the legal guardianship of Yoko, and thus why she is allowed to fill this all in. Reiji did this. I like to believe he can hack government websites because the image is amusing. Also because fuck the fake mom I gave Sora she is not relevant so her input has been Deleted From Sora's History.  
> \- Making him skip a grade is pure self indulgence, from past research Japan doesn't really do grade skipping from what I understand (in general grade skipping is becoming frowned upon in some circles as people think it affects social development actually). Do not think too hard on it.  
> -Yoko best mom 2kforever and also the soapbox which I used to preach Please Stop Making Children Save The World.  
> -Barely any Yuzu but she will be more prevalent in the next (and probably last??) chapter  
> -I stan Shun and Sora as friends and though he will not appear again. Know That.  
> -I think I have covered everything with that.
> 
> That said, see you next chapter! Probably up within a month? Going to write something else and then get back to this.


	3. watch it flourish (it's with support that we stand the strongest)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora does some school shopping, hangs out with friends, and has his first day at school. It is a perfectly normal, mundane, couple of days --it makes his skin crawl.
> 
> He's getting used to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact about chapters 2 and 3 is that they were originally one chapter and then I got to around 5k~ on chapter 2, realised this was a lot longer than I thought it was gonna be, and split it in two. A good choice on my part because otherwise I would've uploaded a 20k chapter. Absolutely amazing. I really did write over 30k of this.
> 
> Everyone say thanks to [Apple](https://twitter.com/thematchalight), who makes it so you read coherent sentences.
> 
> Notes:  
> \- How does Gongenzaka's speech work? Does he ever use I? I hated writing his dialogue. Don't talk to me about it. That said, I love him.  
> -Narration that uses Gongenzaka or Gon-chan is our good ol' friend Gong. Narration that uses Gongenzaka-san is his dad. On a related note to the above. Don't talk to me about his characterization either, characters that appear in one episode are mine to do w.e I want with.  
> -I tried looking up how much school uniforms in Japan costs and the only figure I could find was after conversion was near 1k USD, though it seems to vary a lot by location, prestige, and whether or not they care about the kind of socks and bags you use. I know school uniforms are expensive but I don't remember my parents paying nearly that much for mine. I also couldn't find where they buy it? So that experience is based off mine, though much more relaxed, when I went it was crawling with people, Sora is doing this like mid semester. I'm not even sure if those places are open year round but... artistic liberty.  
> -Stan Yuzu. Please Stan Yuzu and Yoko, I love them.  
> -I really like pens... I own so many pens, when I went to Japan I bought the nicest coloured pens and I get really sad at the idea they will eventually run out of ink.  
> -This fic literally ahs the weirdest assortment of tags I've ever used character and additonal. Should I add Sora and Gon's dad? Idk. That would be so fucking random. Jesus.  
> -These are the only non-spoilerly notes, (a lot) more at the end

Sora expects to be sent to school along with Yuya the next day and spends much of the evening after they arrive home with discomfort making loops around his stomach. They’d walked Yuzu home as Yoko drove ahead and Sora had listened idly to Yuya’s excited ramblings, unable to focus on them despite his best efforts. Sora wants to feel the same excitement Yuya was clearly feeling towards his upcoming school debut but instead the more he tries to make himself feel optimistic about it the worse he finds himself feeling. 

Thoughts swirling in and out of reach keep him up most of the night and when he finally blinks awake it’s to Yuya’s puttering around in the hallway.

Well that means it’s at least 7:30, eight if Yuya’s running late.

He sits up with a sigh, exhaustion weighing down his shoulders as he reaches over to his desk to swipe a hard candy. He pops it into his mouth and bites down with a sharp snap, pressing his palms to his eyes. The sour undertone to it zaps through him, sparking across his tongue and it helps him feel mildly more awake. A couple more and maybe he can absorb enough sugar to feel moderately good about the day.

The door opens while he’s just starting to get up off the bed, the light of the hallway cutting through the shadows of his room.

“Oh good,” Yoko says as she peers into the room, “you’re up already!”

He’s always up early, this is pretty late for him if he’s being honest, and there’s no doubt Yoko knows that.

“Get dressed, we’re going shopping.” She continues without care, when Sora just stares.

“… Shopping?” Did yesterday happen? Did he imagine it at all?

“Of course, how else are we supposed to get you a uniform?” She tuts, “We’re not in a rush but don’t dawdle around either.” She winks, then closes the door behind her.

That… makes sense. He doesn’t know how he forgot about that. The rest of them are basically always wearing theirs, he’d obviously need one to attend. School requires uniforms.

He shivers as he walks over to the closet, resolutely deciding that it’s the cold that does it.

Sora’s wardrobe is a mismatch of identical shirts Sora had worn during his time in Academia, hand me downs of Yuya’s old clothes, and a wide assortment of clothing that Yoko had somehow purchased that was exactly his size. It’s more than Sora thinks is practical, he had been fine just wearing the same shirt and pants (couldn’t bring himself to put on the jacket anymore) but Yoko had insisted and despite Sora’s protests had ended up with more clothes than he could ever imagine wearing.

(And hidden behind it all, a too familiar blue jacket he was sure the rest of them thought he’d burned given how it had just disappeared from his wardrobe. He probably should but… Sora had not been able to part with it despite everything it represented, and by now it was better to just ignore its existence.

Out of sight of mind, after all.)

A restless feeling settles beneath his skin, buzzing like bugs, and he shakes his head, pulling out a random shirt and grabbing a familiar pair of grey pants as he marches over to the bathroom.

He has a task to do and that’s what he should be focusing on right now.

-

Yoko raises an eyebrow when he walks into the kitchen, which is notice enough that he chose one of Yuya’s stupid graphic tees to wear instead of anything sensible. He doesn’t even want to know what god-awful slogan his shirt is advertising, he’ll live a happier life not knowing. School uniforms were clearly a blessing if this was the kind of clothing Yuya picked for himself.

As it is now, he ignores it, shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels.

“When are we leaving?” He asks and her other eyebrow joins its pair.

“After breakfast,” She replies, just as Yuya thumps into the room with a panicked look on his face.

“I’m late,” he babbles, repeating the phrase like a mantra as he grabs a pancake with one hand, stuffing his feet into his shoes with the other.

“Could have woken up earlier.” Yoko offers and Yuya’s lips pull up in a joking snarl.

“Could have woken me up, _mother_.”

“Set an alarm.” She says with a grin and Yuya scowls, ripping off a piece of pancake.

He chews on it moodily, and by the time he swallows his expression has shifted back to vaguely panicked. “Okay. Okay I have to go Yuzu’s gonna kill me.”

“Bye, dear.” She laughs.

“Get going already.” Sora says, leaning his head against his hand and watching as Yuya practically vibrates in place.

Yuya nods vaguely, no longer listening as he steals another two pancakes, wrapping them up and stuffing them in his bag in one quick practiced motion.

“See you later.” He hums in reply, leaning down to place a kiss on Yoko’s head and then, as he moves around the table to leave one on Sora’s as well.

Sora freezes as his body instantly straightens, feeling the blush crawl up his neck, and stays that way until the door’s distant thud announces Yuya’s departure.

He remembers why he doesn’t let himself be caught in the kitchen or dining room before Yuya’s left for school.

“Your food’s going to get cold Sora-chan.” Yoko lilts, a teasing smile on her face and Sora sticks out his tongue, grabbing a plate close and two pancakes as Yoko pushes the bottle of chocolate sauce closer. He takes it with a narrowed gaze, keeping up the stare even as he squeezes half the bottle onto his plate.

“So what are we doing today?”

“Getting you school supplies, a uniform, who knows what else!”

“You should have a better plan for the day than that.” He counters dryly, which just makes Yoko’s expression look almost cat-like in its glee.

“There’s enjoyment in just letting things take their course, going with the flow.”

“Sounds terrible.” And inefficient, wasted time that could be put to better use.

“Do you have anything else planned for the day?” She asks, chin resting upon intertwined fingers.

There’s a knowing look in her eyes, like she knows what he’s about to say and is daring him to do it. He scowls, stabbing down into a pancake with too much force. Well he won’t say it, he remembers their conversation at this same table just a few days ago clearly.

“We’re going to have a fun relaxing day.”

Relaxing… _fun_ . The last and only time Sora can remember having that with any consistency was the first time he came to Standard. There had been so little expected of him during that time despite his mission, it had been _fun_ despite everything that had followed –perhaps in retrospect, especially because of everything that had followed. Since, Sora has kept himself busy with everything coming to an end, helping out anywhere and everywhere he could to the point that some days he would arrive back and fall asleep instantly once landing on the bed. There were days he’d be too tired to even make the trip back to Standard and would fall asleep there, be it Academia or Heartland.

(His nightmares were always at their worst those days.)

That was probably part of the point, but Sora didn’t want to think about it. When he was out there he was helping, he was doing something. What was he supposed to do now? _Nothing?_

“The school has you scheduled to start next Monday.” Yoko continues, “And until then I’d like you to stay here in Standard, no gallivanting off to different dimensions.”

Something hot and biting fills Sora up so quickly he nearly chokes on it, grip on his fork with a grip so tight it almost burns.

“You can’t _make_ me.” The words are harsh even to his ears, clipped and sharp, but the feeling just churns brighter. No one… Sora decides what it is he does, how he does it. Especially not…

He closes his eyes and counts slowly and purposefully back from ten, breathing along with it, trying with moderate success to release some of the pressure pushing against his chest.

One last breath and he opens his eyes, Yoko is still in the same position, the same look in her eyes.

“I’m not making you, I’m not in charge of you Sora, I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to. I can suggest, I can give my opinion, and I have. Both I and Yuya have, you know what we think, how we feel. So, my request is simply that, a request.” The look in her eyes has shifted, hands now steepled atop the table as she straightens. “However, if you are going to start school that is a different matter. I will not have you running yourself ragged for that.”

Sora hates the instinctive anger he feels, he _knows_ she’s right. It doesn’t change the fact Sora doesn’t care if he’s tired and exhausted he just…

“Okay.” He says, voice still too sharp but Yoko smiles, bright and wide like she’s hit the jackpot. An expression he knows would be mirrored on the rest of them if they were here to do it.

And that’s how he knows he’s made the right choice.

Even if it doesn’t feel like it.

-

“This isn’t shopping.” Sora says flatly, staring at the crepe Yoko is holding out to him with thinly veiled interest.

Of course Sora wants it, it looks _delicious_ , Yoko’s already started hers and looks positively delighted.

“You used to be cuter, Sora.” She sighs, waving the crepe in front of him like a child showing off a new toy.

He scowls, swiping the treat from her hand and taking a vicious bite. It is, predictably, absolutely heavenly.

“I’m still very cute.” He says and then the words register, and he sputters, face flaming.

“Oh absolutely.” Yuko agrees, spinning on her heel and walking towards one of the nearby stores. “Now follow me, we will start with stationary.”

Sora sighs, taking another bite from his crepe.

It is still delicious, but for once the overt sweetness feels almost nauseating.

Sora eats anyways, despite the churning in his stomach.

It’s good.

It’s all good.

-

They walk out of the store with more notebooks and pencils than Sora thinks is reasonable for a single school year. But Yoko had continuously pointed at just about anything and swooned about how pretty it was and dumped it into their basket. While Sora could agree with her on some of the notebooks, he lost her when she would say the same thing about highlighters and erasers, at that point he was sure she just had to be messing with him. The twinkle in her eye was startlingly similar to Yuya’s when he was trying to pull off some stupid prank on Sawatari or Gongenzaka, but when he’d pressed her on it she’d simply grinned and ruffled his hair and told him not to worry about it.

Maybe she was playing a prank, but it didn’t seem to be on him.

Still, they had left the shop with a far too heavy bag, half of which Sora resolutely decides isn’t for him because the amount of pens, pencils, and highlighters would in no conceivable way fit into the pencil case they had bought. (A soft yellow with an assortment of cute little designs he hadn’t realised he was staring at until Yoko had plucked it off the shelf and put in the basket.) He didn’t want it to be all for him, it was too much, more than he deserved, more than was necessary it was all just… too much. He supposed no one would be wanting for a writing utensil in the Sakaki Household for a good long while.

Sora sighs, retying his hair as he hops off the motorcycle.

“Finish that lollipop,” Yoko remarks as they walk towards the building, “they don’t let food in here.” He blinks, biting off the rest of it with a shrug as he stuffs the stick in his pocket to throw out later.

“Clothes that fancy?”

“Clothes that expensive.” Yoko corrects, then faux swoons, clutching her hands together, “The price of a good uniform set is a sign of our love for our children.”

“… How expensive?”

“None of your concern!” Yoko chirps, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him in.

“It’s for me, I think it is my concern.” He scowls.

“Well,” Yoko says as she smiles at an employee walking over to them, “how much did we just spend on all that stationary?”

He blanks, he hadn’t really paid attention, most of the items had fallen between 100 and 600 yen but they’d bought a lot hadn’t they…

“Exactly my point, don’t sweat it.” She says, just as the employee reaches them and Sora tunes them out, the plastered on niceties of customer service are both annoying and a pain to participate in. He looks around the store instead, rows of identical shirts and bags, and more jackets and vests than Sora was even aware there could be schools for. Were all these just for Maiami City? There was no way. He’s spotted some different uniforms while walking around but not enough to fill this place.

Academia was the only school around in Fusion, and its size was built with that fact in mind, it’s a big building, large enough to house all its students until they graduated. Academia provided everything its students would need and in return none of them were allowed to leave without permission. To think that even this one area would have so much… choice. It seemed terribly stupid, weren’t they all teaching the same thing? What was the point?

And yet…

“…ra, Sora!” He startles, dragging his attention away from a line of blazers to Yoko, who is watching him with a carefully blank look.

“Yeah?” He replies brightly and her expression does not so much as flicker.

“She went off to go get you a size to try on, we’re going to go head over to change rooms, she’ll meet us there.”

“Okay,” he says, going to grip the sleeve of his jacket before remembering he’s not wearing it. His hand hovers uselessly in the air before he shoves it angrily into his pocket.

“Sora, is something wrong?” Yoko asks, brows twitching down in concern.

“I’m… just thinking.” He says, kicking out a foot and spinning on his heel. “But it’s nothing, come on Yoko-san it’s not polite to keep people waiting.”

Sora still hates all these practiced platitudes for the sake of… he has no idea who these please actually. At least when he did them in Academia he knew it was about respect to his superiors, here they just seem kind of pointless, but they do keep Yoko from questioning him further at the moment which is all he really wants. Her gaze promises future retribution but Sora will deal with that when the time comes, for now he has some clothes to try on.

The employee is already by the changing rooms when they arrive, holding an admirable amount of clothes within her arms.

“This is a full set, summer, winter, and gym uniforms. I brought two sizes but I’m confident this size should be just perfect for you.” She says happily, picture perfect smile not even wavering as she moves one of her hands from the bottom of the stack to neatly bisect it in the middle, offering it over to Yoko who takes it easily. “I’ll leave the other set here, but please let me know if you require anything else.” She gives a polite bow as Yoko thanks her, and sweeps out of the room, heading back into the store proper.

He stares at the clothes in Yoko’s hands, Academia had the one uniform, Sora wore it year round only ever changing whether his undershirt was long-sleeved or short-sleeved, even in athletic courses he only ever took off his jacket if he felt he needed to. This was too much. All of this so far was just too much.

“That looks nothing like what Yuya wears.” He says instead of dealing with the thoughts running around his head.

“My adorable son likes to put his own spin on the uniform, Maiami Middle isn’t really all that strict about the uniform to be honest but you still need to own one.”

Sora stares, reaching out to grab the stack from Yoko against the sudden howl in his head and heading into the changeroom with a nod.

“Cool… do you need to like, check it out once I try them on?”

“Nah,” Yoko says, waving him off, “You know what fits you, if you want my opinion then sure but otherwise knock yourself out in there.”

She gives him a thumbs up when he just stares and he sighs, shaking his head as he closes the door behind him. They were all truly a bit too relaxed sometimes, but it was not something Sora could ever bring himself to hate. He liked that about them far too much to ever truly be bothered about it.

Sora was, by definition, exasperatedly fond. And it was moments like these that always helped him calm down.

He sets the clothes down on the chair provided, dragging his hands down his face. These are just. Clothes. Nothing more, nothing less, he can try on _clothes._

(The trembling of his hands and the biting pressure in his stomach say otherwise.)

It’s with barely concealed frustration that he removes his shirt, grabbing the undershirt from the top of the pile, a dark navy more reminiscent of Sawatari’s grey then Yuya’s bright orange. Simple and long-sleeved it’s barely any different than the one he had worn for his Academia uniform.

The thought makes him pause, staring at his reflection in the mirror, familiar grey pants, a dark long-sleeved shirt. Sora doesn’t have his duel disk on him, had left it at home because it wasn’t necessary for their activities today, but he can imagine it so clearly in his reflection like a part of him that’s never left. A too sharp smile and cold eyes behind perfectly kept posture. A reflection Sora knows intimately and it makes his teeth clench, hand flexing open and closed with a barely restrained urge to _hit_ . His hand reaches out, anything, _anything,_ to get rid of the illusion before him. A reminder of everything he is, he’s done, an inescapable weight pressed upon his shoulders.

How was this ever supposed to be a good idea when Sora couldn’t even do something as simple as try on a uniform without feeling every regret he has wrap around him until he’s choking on nothing but his failures.

His hands find purchase on something soft, fabric wrinkling under his grasp as he tugs it closer, blindly shoving his arms through the sleeves. Sora meets the gaze of his reflection and his breath stutters, stops, then resumes. He doesn’t understand how something so familiar can feel so off. Sora sees this jacket, this uniform, basically every day, on Yuya, Sawatari, on every student he sees on the streets or when he makes the trip over to the school to pick up the two of them. He recognises the colours, the shapes, it is distinct, unmistakable. Yet Sora regards his reflection with absolutely no familiarity. His hand reaches out again, and his reflection mimics the action, but as their hands meet Sora still…

A regular school jacket, one that denotes nothing but the school you attend. Not class, not rank, not agency, just a piece of cloth for the vaguest forms of identification. The only part that even seems mandatory. Sure most of them wear the same uniform, the same way, but Sora has spotted plenty of students like Yuya and Yuzu, who wear it more liberally, more variation to the colours, the style, than the prefered uniform. It makes Sora wonder why they even bother to have one. Uniforms are a sense of prestige, they let others know who you are, instill a sense of respect. Sora was an Obelisk Blue and that meant that –

Sora was thirteen years old and going to school to learn things like Science and Math and make _friends._

Uniforms may denote rank in positions like militia but for a school all they did was show where you went. It didn’t mean more. It _shouldn’t_ mean more.

And Sora repeated that until it felt less like he was drowning, until he could look at his reflection and not hate every part of it. Until it didn’t feel like he should be punished for wearing something untouched by everything Academia had destroyed and ruined.

Sora repeats that until the boy in the mirror still feels like a stranger, but one he could grow to understand. And then it’s not wrong, doesn’t make his stomach turn, but still weird. It’s longer than his Academia jacket was, and the white is so much brighter and lighter than any of the colours they were allowed to wear. Even now Sora didn’t wear much white, so that in itself was kind of odd but… it wasn’t bad.

It was different.

And maybe that’s what he was aiming for at this point.

He tries on the pants next, the leg too long, bunching up at his ankle awkwardly. An accident waiting to happen, a hazard in more ways than one. He tries to focus on its impracticality instead of the distinct discomfort of seeing its colour plastered so blatantly on his person. The smaller accents on the jacket were easier to ignore than the bright red that comprised the pants' entire fabric. Red is just a colour. A nice colour, Yuya likes red, he looked nice in it. It was just a colour and maybe if he told himself that enough the little voice in his head that said it made him _weak_ , that it made him _disposable_ would shut up.

At the very least, he could look at his reflection this time without wanting to punch it, small victories. In such a small time frame, even!

The rest of it goes as well as it can, though he continues to be confused and slightly overwhelmed by the number of clothing items he needs. The uniform even includes specific socks and shoes he should wear. Still, he tries them all on, looks at his reflection as long as it takes to discern whether it’s fitting him properly, and leaves the room with a newly refolded stack of clothes in his arms.

“Did it all fit okay?” Yoko asks, question casual yet Sora can’t help but feel she’s digging for something. He can’t tell if the feeling is rational or not, and his mind whirs on whether the amount of time he spent in there was weird. Too long? Too little? Which would be more questionable. Which would be wrong?

Or maybe Yoko’s just asking a regular question.

“The pants were too long, but other than that it fit just fine.” He replies and Yoko nods like she expected as much.

“You’re just so teeny Sora,” she swoons, “you need to eat better, it’s not too late to hit a growth spurt, you’re barely a teenager.”

She reaches over to ruffle his hair and he leans away, sticking his tongue out at her. He’s quite happy with his height actually, being small has its advantages. No one suspects the small and cute, deceptive like a baby animal, and deception is good for tons of things.

… Is that a _good_ ideal? Maybe not, but Sora’s keeping that one.

Once again while Sora’s lost in thought Yoko has gone off to talk to the lady from before, somehow having taken the clothes from arms without him noticing. A pitiful thing really and Sora walks over to the two of them slightly annoyed.

“I’m about to check out, anything else you wanna tell me?” Yoko asks as he approaches, but despite them being at the checkout Sora can’t see a single article of clothing that he’d tried on.

“No.” He replies, trying to peek over the counter to see if it’s there.

Yoko laughs tugging at his collar to place him on the ground, “They’re gonna ship it all to us, they have to make the adjustments.”

“It was just the pants.”

Yoko shrugs, “Some of the stuff is also just display, they have to order it, easier to just send the whole set at once.”

The clerk nods, muffling a smile behind her hand as she offers Yoko her card back. “You can expect the delivery by Saturday, I’ve put a note in to rush the order given his early start date.”

“Thank you, Hiwatari-san.” Yoko beams and the clerk does let out a small laugh this time.

“Anything to help.” She says cheerily and Sora notes that it seems genuine this time. Typical Sakaki charm truly. She turns to Sora then, the same pleased smile on her face still, “Enjoy your new school, it’s never too late for a fresh start so have some fun!”

It takes him a moment to reply, mouth suddenly dry, but he manages a smile that hopefully passes for ‘good’, “Thanks.”

Her expression doesn’t waver, though the fact that he can’t tell whether it’s due to a successful attempt at looking happy or just practiced customer service neutrality bothers him more than he wants to admit. Regardless, she bows slightly, and the two of them move to head home.

“Hey,” Yoko says as they mount the motorcycle, “wanna get some ice cream?”

The statement feels so horrendously childish, like Sora’s some crying toddler in need in comfort. It should bother him, Sora doesn’t need to be coddled, doesn’t need to have his hand held. Instead he leans forward with a sigh, pressing his forehead against Yoko’s back even though the helmet makes the angle feel awkward.

“Yes,” he mumbles into the back of her sweater, and feels the rev of the engine as Yoko shifts into gear, “sounds great.”

“Alright then! Come on, we’re going to get disgustingly massive sundaes to make Yuya jealous when he gets home and I show him pictures.”

“You’re evil Yoko-san.” He huffs as the motorcycle jerks forward.

“Yes and you love it.” She jokes.

Sora doesn’t reply, keeping his position as he lets the roar of the engine outpace his chaotic thoughts.

It makes no sense to feel as tired as he does, but he does and he doesn’t really want to think about anything at the moment.

There’s just the wind whizzing around them, the feel of Yoko’s sweater against him, and the dull and echoing thrum of the engine in motion.

All together it feels nice. He closes his eyes and for the rest of the ride just focuses on that.

-

When Yuya returns home he dramatically walks over to where Yoko and Sora are watching TV and flops on top of them, placing a hand on his forehead as he bemoans their betrayal over going or sundaes without him. How he’d seen the pictures Yoko had posted and that it was _cruel_ and they could’ve waited for him so they could all go together.

His voice pitches high and low in a mockery of a wobble, eyes glinting with unshed tears even as his lips twitch up into a smile.

Yoko gives him a commiserating look, at which Sora nods, and together they push Yuya off them where he lands with a dull thud.

There is a moment of silence and then Yuya starts again, voice even more dramatically wounded than before as he mourns his apparent loss of love within the family. ‘How could you do this to me?’ he cries, one hand raised pitifully up towards them.

Sora laughs until it hurts, cheek stinging as he clutches his stomach.

-

Not counting yesterday, Sora has three days until Monday, just three days where he should just stay in Standard and do nothing. A feeling enforced by the fact Yuya had woken up today and sent Sora little kicked puppy looks as if he could sense his thoughts about wanting to go anyways. Does having multiple people in your head give you psychic powers? Because sometimes Yuya just seems far more intuitive than is fair.

He sighs, placing his head against the table. Tomorrow will be the weekend, so it’ll be easier to stay distracted then, but today is still a school day and until it gets out everyone Sora knows on Standard will be at school. Well… except Reiji but Sora has no interest in finding out what he’s doing, probably boring job stuff. He also just… tries not to think about the Akaba family in general, whatever it is they’re doing now that the Professor – Akaba Leo, he isn’t a professor anymore – is back with them isn’t something he cares to know about. Or think about. Ever.

The doorbell rings and it startles him, hand jerking out and bumping hard against the edge of the table. He sits up with a hiss, shaking his hand out. Who’s here so early in the morning? And for what? Yuya left early to school in a rare moment of responsibility and Yoko was upstairs sorting through some clothes and she wasn’t expecting visitors as far as Sora was aware.

One of those door-to-door salesmen? Well, Sora might as well go make them regret bothering people before 8am. He gets up slowly just as the doorbell rings again and then purposely takes his time walking over to the door. It’s good to make these people squirm sometimes after all.

He opens the door, grin wide and ready to annoy only to find Gongenzaka standing there. He blinks, rubbing his eyes, but he’s still there with the same steady expression.

“Um,” He says, still staring, “Yuya’s not here?” And shouldn’t he be heading to school too?

Gongenzaka nods, “I am aware, the man Gongenzaka is not here for Yuya, he’s here for you.”

“What? Gon-chan did you hit your head?” He laughs, wagging his finger at him. “What could you possibly want with me.”

“Get dressed and the man Gongenzaka will show you.” Gongenzaka says and then turns to stare at him with an expression that brooks no argument. Not an expression that Sora’s one to fall for but, he’s intrigued.

Whatever could Gon-chan want with him? Sora can’t even begin to guess. He skips upstairs, Yoko just exiting her room with an armful of clothes as she does.

“Ah, he’s here?”

“You knew?” He asks, narrowing his eyes at her.

“He called yesterday to let me know he’d be dropping by, such a proper young man.” Yoko says with the same dreamy sigh she uses for anything that causes a twinkle in her eye. “Don’t know for what though, so don’t bother asking me.” She shrugs with a grin, turning on her heel and entering the room right next to hers.

Well, that was about as informative as a blank piece of paper.

He gets ready, making sure to avoid wearing one of those stupid t-shirts this time, he should really just get rid of them, and meets Gongenzaka back at the door.

“Can I know where we’re going?”

Gongenzaka smiles, “You’ll see.”

He throws his hands up, is it like, revenge to be cryptic around him? He’s almost one hundred percent sure everyone gets a kick out of being purposefully enigmatic. Well… maybe he deserves that just a little bit, but it’s still annoying.

“Aren’t you going to be late to school?”

“No. Not if we leave now and move fast.” His gaze shifts, staring Sora down, “And you’re more than capable of that.”

There’s a challenge in his gaze and Sora bristles. “You want a race? I’ll beat you.”

Gongenzaka laughs, loud and boisterous as he throws his head back. “If it’s a battle you wish a man never backs down, but another day. The man Gongenzaka has somewhere he needs to take you.”

Sora sighs, rocking back on his heels. “Fine, lead the way Gon-chan.” He says with a wave of his hand.

Gongenzaka’s face twists as it always does at the call of his cute little nickname and Sora grins, face splitting even wider as Gongenzaka simply sighs and turns around. He snickers up until Gongenzaka hits the sidewalk and starts sprinting down it. He watches in shocked bewilderment until the moment catches up with him, locking the door behind him and taking off after him in a startled rush.

It’s some nice exercise, if he’s being completely honest. Gongenzaka takes training a lot more seriously than the students of You Show despite having a dueling style that involves never moving. Or maybe that does explain it, you need a rather high level of strength and endurance to withstand repeated attacks without taking so much as a step. Nevertheless, Gongenzaka knows how to push himself when exercising and that’s something Sora can easily get behind.

Sora’s not going to let himself go _that_ soft, after all flipping over people is fun all on its own.

-

For someone who had school to get to and said that where they were going was nearby, he sure does lead Sora somewhere that is far enough removed from the centre of the city that there’s more nature around than Sora is used to seeing. He pauses at the base of a long set of steps, standing tall with legs slightly apart and hands behind his back.

It’s a familiar stance one that makes Sora’s back straighten before he can really think of it.

“You’re restless.” Gongenzaka says, as if it’s a matter of fact with no room for questioning. “So march up these steps and make your stand, find your peace. You do not have to stay but at least do that much.”

Sora stares, just, what?

“The man Gongenzaka must go now. I have led you up to here, the rest is up to you.”

“You aren’t… taking me up there?” Not that Sora cares, but there’s nothing stopping him from just leaving once he’s out of sight.

“There’s nothing manly about being late and breaking rules,” Gongenzaka says, an underlying passion fueling his tone as he stares Sora down, “nor is there manliness in cowardliness.”

Again, the underlying accusation in the words, the jab at him he can’t help but rise to.

“Well, alright then, head off to school Gon-chan! Bye-bye!” He dismisses a bright cheery grin Gongenzaka ignores with a nod spinning on his heel and heading back down the way they came.

Sora sighs, placing his hands against his hips, time to find out what this is all about he supposes.

As he approaches the top of the steps, sounds start to echo down to him. Rhythmic thuds and shouts echoing in time with grunts and huffs that are oddly familiar.

Then he reaches the top and the reason becomes clear. It’s not at all what he’s used to, but seeing people scattered around the grounds in different forms of exercises and training is familiar in a weird way. Not bad, not good, just familiar. He looks around, wondering exactly what Gongenzaka expected from here when his eyes catch on a figure staring intently at him. He pauses, settling back on the older man who is now quickly approaching him, a faster pace than he would expect of someone who looks so frail.

“Are you the boy my son said would be coming?” He says, a familiar firm tone that brooks no argument and Sora stills.

“You’re Gon-chan’s father?” He asks and the man levels him with a look and it’s there he can see the similarities, in the intensity of the eyes, the slant of the brow, and in the scrunch of his nose.

“Gon-chan…” The man echoes, lips curled in disgust before he laughs. “Oh, how terrible, but good-natured ribbing builds character. Yes, that boy is indeed my son.”

An odd man with too-sharp eyes and a firm set to his shoulders. Sora thinks that if he had a cane, Gongenzaka-san would be whacking him on the head with it.

“Well, let’s go then we’ve dawdled here enough, I do not take in slackers.”

“Wha?”

His gaze sharpens, eyes narrowing menacingly as he takes a step forward and something about it makes Sora flinch, matching his approach with one step back. Sora blinks, shaking his head as he stands back up, posture slipping into a familiar routine.

Gongenzaka-san’s gaze has shifted when he looks back at him, eyes still narrowed but the air around him still somehow feeling lighter.

“Speak properly and clearly boy. My son said you could do well here, I would like to test it.”

“I… I’m a student of You Show, I don’t want to go here?” This is the duel school Gongenzaka attends, even if it doesn’t really look like it.

Gongenzaka-san huffs as he begins to walk, “We are a Dojo first and a Duel School second, plenty of my students take no interest in the practice of dueling. If you wish to only attend as a student to train in the physical sense you are more than welcome. However, you are here for the day and you will abide by our rules until then.” He pauses then, at the corner of the building, sitting himself down on the ledge. “Now, your first task is to test your endurance, 20 laps around the perimeter of the Dojo.”

“You’re joking right?” Sora’s not tired, per se, but he did run most of the way here, he’s not keen on doing 20 pointless laps.

“I do not joke.” Gongenzaka-san replies, and then nods his head to the side as if implying Sora should start running.

Sora looks at him, one faint moment where he imagines perhaps none of this is real and he’s still at home bored out of his mind, before not even the delusion holds.

Well, at least he won’t be bored anymore.

-

Sora doesn’t know how long it’s been when Gongenzaka-san calls it for the day. There aren’t any clocks around the Dojo and despite Sora’s protests they’d confiscated his duel disk. A distraction, Gongenzaka-san had said, if they weren’t going to be training for dueling, but it still felt a bit weird. To not have it when just walking around was one thing, but training and dueling had always been something tied together in his mind.

He flops back, staring up at the sky. They’d had breaks, and he’s pretty sure noon hit when the entirety of the Dojo stopped what they were doing to eat some sandwiches apparently prepared by Gon-chan’s mother. It’s been some time since then and Sora even got to spar against one of the other students, an older man who hadn’t even so much as blinked when Sora had stood before him, just gotten into position.

The man had looked at him like he was just another opponent, nothing more or less, and it was an unfamiliar kind of acknowledgment from an adult. All of them were like that really, no one had even questioned that Sora should be in school instead of here with them. It wasn’t what he was used to and, when he lost that match, it was with an odd sense of… not accomplishment but he wasn’t disappointed or angry either.

He was here again now, offering a bottle of water that Sora gleefully took, chugging half of it down in one go.

“Sensei wishes to speak to you.” He says kindly, offering one hand to help him up. He stares at it suspiciously for a moment before relenting and accepting it.

“Cool, where is he?” He asks and the other laughs softly, pointing out towards the exit of the Dojo.

“I hope to see you again Sora,” He says with a slight bow, smile tugging at his lips, “you were an interesting opponent. It’s not often we get people as agile as you around here.”

“You still won.” He replies, and the statement is not as bitter as he would have expected it to come out.

“There’s more to life than winning and losing, a lesson better to learn sooner rather than later.”

Sora hums, more to life than winning and losing? It sounds like something Yuya would say, that fun was the goal, simply enjoying life was enough. “Maybe,” he concedes, “I’ll see you around old man.”

He sputters, “Old? I’m barely in my thirties. Call me Ryotaro.”

Sora laughs, skipping back, “We’ll see, maybe next time _old man_.” He says with a bow and wave and the indignant cries follow him out with a smile on his face.

Gongenzaka-san is seated where they’d began, legs crossed and eyes closed with a stillness that makes Sora feel just the slightest bit bad about disrupting it. But he was told to come here, so there isn’t a point in being shy about it.

“You called for me?” He asks and Gongenzaka-san does not move, but his head tilts slightly, one eye opening.

“It’s the end of the day, my son and his friends should be arriving soon.”

“… Okay?” Sora could’ve guessed that himself, he’d already been told they were finished.

“You have a well-trained body, boy.” He concedes, inclining his head slightly. “I was not expecting much of one my son’s friends, the people of this city are soft. But you… you are not from here, that’s easy to see.”

He’s not used to hearing it, people have knowledge of the 3 other dimensions now, it’s no secret. It’s still possibly the first time since everything that someone’s pointed it out to him so simply.

“You are skilled, but there is more to strength than just a proper training routine. Mind, body, and soul, all must be kept well and in balance. You have a heart at unrest, a fact as clear as your displacement.”

“What about it?” He spits, he’s not here to be analysed or judged.

“Nothing, simply an observation. If you wish it, you are welcome back here any time. Your performance today was more than acceptable. Now come, meditate here with me until your companions arrive.”

“Uh, no thanks, not really into the whole –”

“Come. Sit.” He repeats, opening both eyes just to glare at him. Sora sighs, shrugging his shoulders and flopping down beside the other, ignoring his renewed glare as he adjusts himself.

“Close your eyes, take a breath, and clear your mind. Let the wind guide your thoughts.”

He stifles a groan, just the phrasing is annoying enough, but does as he’s told. Closing his eyes and taking one breath, then another, tension falling from his shoulders as he does so. Tries to focus on the whistling of wind through the trees and nothing else.

He’s not sure how long the two of them sit there, only opening his eyes when the sound of Yuzu’s and Yuya’s shouts ring through the grounds. No doubt Yuya having done something to annoy her to make her voice carry so far.

His eyes blink open in annoyance, an expression mirrored by Gongenzaka-san beside him.

“Sora!” Yuya shouts as he steps into the grounds waving stupidly wide as he walks over. Sora rolls his eyes at the act, snickering when Yuzu snipes him with her fan, snapping something too low for him to catch. “ _Yuzu_!” He whines, rubbing at his head as Gongenzaka sighs, walking up behind them.

“Go,” Gongenzaka-san huffs beside him, stretching his legs out to stand, “if you wish to come again simply drop by, the Dojo is always open.”

Sora rises in one quick motion, jumping off the ledge onto the ground giving him a simple salute as he walks away. “Thanks!” He replies instead of giving any kind of confirmation. Which he seems to expect because Gongenzaka-san nods and turns back into the dojo without so much as a glance at the new arrivals.

“Kinda rude Yuya, I was meditating you know? And then you just come and interrupt with your loud whiney voice.” He scolds, wagging his finger and laughing through Yuya’s indignant whine.

“Liar!” Yuya accuses, “You can’t meditate, you don’t know how to sit still.”

“Are you talking about yourself, Yuya?” Yuzu sighs, sharing a commiserating look with Gongenzaka.

“Not you too, Yuzu.” He says, wilting forward as his arms droop downwards.

“Come on, head home you three, I will see you all tomorrow.” Gongenzaka says, giving Yuya a firm enough pat on the back that he stumbles forward, knocking into Sora.

Sora pushes him off because if Yuya uses this as another opportunity to lift him he _will_ throw Yuya across the Dojo and absolutely no one is allowed to judge or question him for it.

“Aw come on, can’t a guy catch a break?” Yuya groans, sitting up as he rubs the back of his head. A reaction that makes the rest of them laugh and then, like a cycle, laugh harder when Yuya complains louder in response.

Somehow, despite the ache in Sora’s body from a day of harsh exercise, he feels lighter.

-

The weekend passes by in a rush, on Saturday they go out to see some terrible romance movie that Sawatari insisted they go watch. He ended up falling asleep against Yuzu and when he woke up it was to her wiping teary eyes and the rest of them just straight up crying. He hadn’t cared enough to ask why, and it hadn’t been necessary, they’d been more than happy to give him a play by play over dinner after.

Some sappy movie about two teens falling in love, you find out the girl is sick but they stick together and fall in love anyways before she dies. Sora’s bored just listening to it so he doesn’t regret sleeping through it, but watching Yuya and Sawatari swoon into each other as they re-enact some scene together is entertaining enough to make the entire thing worth it.

Also the parfait he’s eating is just right delicious, he’ll suffer through a boring movie if he gets to eat this well after.

(And spending the day out, just to hang out and have fun, is nice all on its own. Even if it’s something that feels so utterly foreign. A part of a play he has no business being in, that he doesn’t know how to perform.

He still doesn’t know how to just be there and do nothing _but_ enjoy himself. Because he still wants to give in to the urge to help and help until he runs himself ragged. To do everything he can until his body collapses because then maybe it could possibly be okay.

It still takes too much to sit here and think that it’s allowed.)

Sunday brings Yuzu to their house, dumping all the stationery and notebooks they had bought onto the table, along with the textbooks that had been delivered late yesterday. Together, or mostly Yuzu really, they sort through what he’ll need and what he needs to bring. According to Sora’s schedule he’s in the same class as them, and not a single part of him believes that that wasn’t intentional, that Yoko did _something_ to make sure that happened. Yuya has parents that are weirdly intense when they want to be, and he doesn’t put it past them to do something like that.

Yuzu explains some of the basic things he can expect while Yuya chimes in with lesser, more silly facts that make Yuzu puff up with anger just a little bit more with every comment. Sora watches with rapt attention, absently licking at the lollipop in his hand, as Yuzu’s shoulders begin to shake in barely constrained rage, smiling slightly as he can almost see the moment she snaps raising one hand to punch his shoulder as hard as she can.

“You can’t keep hitting me!”

“I’ll keep doing it until you stop saying and doing stupid things so it’s entirely up to you.” She replies flatly.

“Well that’s just impossible,” Yuya groans, eyes snapping wide as Yuzu’s grin turns sharp, “I mean… uh, Sora you know what I mean right?”

“You mean that you acknowledge from the bottom of your heart that you are indeed an idiot, _Shi-shou_.” He says, stressing the last word and delighting in the way Yuya’s expression falls comically as Yuzu snickers.

The rest of the day passes similarly, Yuzu stays well into the evening before she has to head home and the two of them walk her back despite her protests. By the time they get home the moon is high in the sky. It’s late and they really should be heading to bed soon.

Because tomorrow’s… his first day.

He sighs as they head inside, going right up to his room as Yuya swerves into the kitchen. The past couple days have passed blissfully quick, but here he feels like he’s right back where he started the day of the test. Discomfort and anxiety clawing at his stomach, head rolling with unpleasant thoughts that make his stomach churn and his mouth twist down into a scowl.

This is stupid, it’s stupid to feel this way, he knows it. But knowing doesn’t make the feeling go away, if anything he just feels even worse, stupid irrational thoughts that he can’t control. That make his chest feel tight and the world feel dull.

He scowls scrubbing at his face with the palms of his hands.

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_.

“Sora?” Yoko’s voice calls, a light knock on the door accompanying her words. “Can I come in?”

He pauses, feeling a peculiar sense of déjà vu as he uncurls himself, forcing his breaths steady.

“Yeah,” he calls back, “come in.”

She opens the door a tray with two cups on it in her other hand, a package wedged underneath her arm. “Made some hot chocolate, a little treat to get you pumped for tomorrow.” She says as she walks over, sitting next to him on the bed, placing the tray on the nightstand beside him. “Also your uniform arrived yesterday, I forgot to tell you when you got home yesterday.”

She hands the package over to him and Sora takes it, opening it gingerly. It’s the same as what he tried on before as far as he can tell and yet Yoko’s eyes glitter as she watches him unpack it. He watches her warily as he removes a pair of pants and reveals the standard Maiami Middle jacket underneath. Except… there’s something off about it, familiar and not at the same time. He removes it carefully, the colours are right but the cut of it…

He holds it up, the garment hanging loosely in his hands, and displayed like that the resemblance he had noted before is unmistakable.

“This…”

“Do you like it?” Yoko asks, “I thought maybe something familiar might make it a bit easier for you.”

There’s a pause, Sora is not sure for how long because his eyes do not move from the piece of clothing in his grasp, but long enough that Yoko shifts beside him. “If you don’t like it I’ll get a normal one, it might take a bit though.”

“It’s fine,” He forces out, hands curling around it tighter as he clutches it close to his chest. “Thank you.”

 _Stupid_ , he thinks again, but this time the thought brings a smile to his face. This is so stupid, so why does it make him feel so warm?

Yoko’s face splits into a grin at the words, wrapping one arm around him for a quick squeeze. “Any time, Sora.” She says as she pulls back and then reaches out again in a manner that Sora assumes means she’s going to try to ruffle his hair but instead she softly pushes back his bangs, pressing a kiss to the crown of his forehead.

“You’re going to do wonderful tomorrow, dear, rest well.” Yoko murmurs, breath soft against his skin as she pulls back, her smile gentle and far too much for Sora to handle as he stares, hands twitching as he feels his face warm at an alarming place.

“Good night, Sora.” She says cheekily at his continued silence standing up from the bed to leave.

“Oh, are you going to join us mom?” Yuya’s voice comes from the door and they both look over to see him in pyjamas, two pillows clutched between his arms.

“No Yuya I was just heading out, you two have fun.” She says, pressing a kiss to his brow as well as she passes.

He laughs in response, ducking out from under it. “Alright, mom, g’night.”

What?

“You’re in my room why?” He asks and Yuya gasps, offended.

“A sleepover!”

“We live in the same house.”

“But not in the same room, so, sleepover!”

“Yeah, okay, sure.” He laughs and Yuya grins, launching himself onto the bed.

“Alright,” Yuya says, grabbing a cup from the tray –at least that explains why there were two, “take out your deck come on, let’s have a duel old-fashioned style.”

“Just cards?”

“Just cards! I don’t think I’ve done it since I was a little kid, it’ll be fun.” Yuya grins holding up his deck like a prize at the fair. Sora’s hand lands on his own pocket where his deck rests, he’s not sure if he’s ever dueled that way. Sora’s had a duel disk on his arm since as long as he was strong enough to hold it. Sora learned to duel against monsters made real with attacks that hurt, because that way he’d learn faster, his mother had said. That if he knew what was at stake he’d know why he had to fight so hard, learn to be better than everyone else.

“… Sora?”

“Yeah.” He replies, taking out his deck, “It’ll be fun, let’s do it.”

Yuya stares at him in suspicion before his expression relaxes, grabbing the tray from the table and placing it between them, setting his deck beside him. “Here we can use this.”

“A real DIY set up huh?”

“Well,” Yuya flushes, “I don’t think we own a duelmat anymore, so this’ll have to do.

“I’m kidding,” he says through a laugh, “it’s fine.”

Yuya smiles, bright and cheery, drawing his first card. “Alright. Duel!”

The duel continues at a placid pace, Yuya occasionally stopping his turn to tell a story about something silly a classmate or teacher did. Or at least it does, until Yuya loses and demands a rematch.

He loses count of the duels after the first three, but by the last one Sora can barely keep his eyes open, they don’t even finish it before calling it a match.

Sora falls asleep comfortable and content and thinks, as he falls asleep, that maybe tomorrow maybe won’t be that bad as a part of him can’t help but feeling it will be.

-

Sora wakes up to Yuya curled around him, one arm wrapped around him as his chin rests atop Sora’s head. He freezes, he and Yuya had fallen asleep facing different directions, at what point had Yuya rolled over and done this, and how had it not woken him up.

Does he wake him up? They might both have to go to school but he knows Yuya probably wouldn't have woken up for at least another half hour if he’s being generous.

The decision is taken out of his hands when Yuya’s eyes blink open, staring down at him with… grey eyes?

“Yuya…?”

Yuya shakes his head, eyes closing for a moment only to reopen into familiar but muddled red.

“… Wha’? What time is ‘t?” Yuya mumbles, words slurring in his half-asleep state before he sits up with a start, looking far too alert all of the sudden. “ _Yuto_ .” He hisses softly, “ _Why’d you…_ ” He starts then trails off, eyes going unfocused.

Ah, that explains it. That should’ve been… Yuto then. He bites his lip, a feeling he had chased away last night curling tight in his stomach like it had never left in the first place.

“…could’ve just woken me up.” Yuya mutters as his gaze flicks over to Sora. “You know, I asked them to help me wake up early but…” Yuya sighs, “well that’s on me. I’m up early and that’s what I wanted. Let’s go get ready.”

“Morning?”

“Morning!” Yuya cheers, hopping out of the bed, “I’ll get out of your hair.” He continues, waving a hand as he skips out the door.

Yuya is simply too much right in the morning, he decides, as he can do nothing but watch Yuya’s departure in mild bemusement.

Time to get ready.

-

His reflection in the mirror that morning is easier to look at. Somehow the familiar cut of the jacket makes the differences stand out all the more. Differences that are… just that. Differences. He’s still Sora, still everything he has done, but as Yoko keeps insisting, he’s also just a kid.

Nothing more, nothing less, and if he holds onto that maybe it really will be okay.

-

“Now, Sora,” Yuzu says as they walk to school, “if anyone causes you any trouble you tell me and I’ll set them straight.”

“I can handle things myself, Yuzu.” He frowns.

“I know you can,” Yuzu says with a flippant wave, “but that’s besides the point. People have to know they can’t mess with my friends.”

“That poor kid.” Yuya says solemnly as Yuzu puts fisted hands together.

“He had it coming,” she hisses, “Gongenzaka and I told him to leave you alone and he still didn’t listen.”

“Scarred for life.” Yuya continues in the same tone as before, eyes closed and face blank before he opens them with a grin. “It was really funny.”

“So we can bully people who are mean to Yuya? I’m here for that.” He asks and both Yuya and Yuzu turn to look at him, speaking in unison.

“No!” Yuya cries as Yuzu calmly says, “Yes.”

“Yes, it is!” He cheers, high-fiving Yuzu over Yuya’s head.

“Why are all my friends like this.” Yuya sighs.

“Because you are my personal damsel in distress.” Yuzu replies instantly, face a mask of stone.

“Hmm,” Yuya says, tapping his chin, “you know I think I’d look good in a dress.” He concludes, twirling as if he had a skirt that would flow with it. “Yuzu would you say your skirt makes Action duels easier or harder?”

“I don’t really think about it.” She replies, head tilted in consideration, “I’m used to it I guess, it feels lighter I suppose.”

“Something to consider then,” Yuya says with a nod, “what do you think Sora?”

“Do I have to wear one too?”

“Do you want to?”

“I dunno.”

Both Yuzu and Yuya shrug, “It’d be your choice.”

“Maybe,” He decides and two of them nod.

“Oh!” Yuya says with a start, “come on let’s hurry, I wanna ask Sawatari, I think this could really add to entertainment dueling if we do it right. We put on a little show in the prison but if we started dressing up for things like that…” His eyes are practically glittering as he thinks about it, a bounce to his step as he tugs them both forward.

They both jerk forward, neither expecting the sudden tug and quickly move to match his pace to avoid tripping.

“Yuya!” Yuzu scolds, but there’s a smile tugging at her lips even as she does.

Sora for his part can’t help but laugh, the entire thing simple and stupid in a way that is so comfortably foreign.

He had never imagined his mornings could start so lightheartedly pleasant.

-

Somehow, just sitting in class was a more stressful experience than standing before the lot of them and introducing himself. Probably because Sora didn’t have anything to be afraid of when he did that, these kids didn’t intimidate him, weren’t worth his attention, and in no way whatsoever did they strike fear in him. They were just 14-year-old kids more excited about the prospect of a transfer student than they were about anything they were going to learn today.

Aside from the Junior Division tournament, Sora had never had so many expectant happy eyes on him. Like he was here to perform instead of to learn along with them. Which was apparently normal, because the teacher hadn’t said so much as word when they’d started bombarding him with questions. He’d dealt with it until they’d gotten annoyingly personal, hands clenching as he fought the urge to snap at them.

Thankfully, Yuzu was enough to stop that, slamming her hands down on the table as she (not so very) politely asked the teacher if they could begin their lessons now. A comment that had gotten a couple glares sent her way but were easily quelled by the heat in her own gaze.

Yuzu was just far too amazing sometimes.

Still, it was enough to get the class to shut up, the teacher seating him at a desk two rows in front of Yuzu. When he turns his head back Yuya gives him a thumbs up, grin turning sheepish when Yuzu side eyes him.

And up until that moment, it was fine, weird and slightly annoying, but fine. It was now, as he tried to listen to the teacher’s lesson, that unrest buzzed through him like an incessant alarm, winding him up and leaving him with a too tight grip around his pen.

Nothing was happening, absolutely nothing at all, and maybe that was the issue. He could hear Yuya’s faint snores behind him, the kid beside him was doodling into her notebook, and he could spot just three students from his seat trying to subtly hide the fact they were eating in class behind propped up textbooks. And that didn’t even count the handful that just plain weren’t paying attention, pens in hand and eyes on the teacher but absolutely no movement otherwise.

Sora had skipped class, but that was a privilege he had earned, this kind of behaviour in an Academia classroom would never have stood, would have ended with some kind of physical reprimand at best and a carding at worst. In retrospect, maybe it was the other way around, carding had been reversible, in the end and being carded meant that you didn’t have to deal with any of it anymore.

Would things have turned out better if he had just been carded before he could be sent to Standard and ruin everything?

The bell rings, startling out of his thoughts and forcing him to his feet in an action as easy as breathing. However, the rest of the class is staring and it takes him a too-long second to remember why. Teachers came to them, Yuzu had told him that, there was no need for him to stand up, because they didn’t need to stand to salute them either, didn’t need to do anything like that.

He slumps back down into his seat, turning his head out the window to avoid the gazes burning into his back. It’s only first period, and already more exhausting than he could have expected.

The next period barely goes any better, Sora has notes on a math lesson he learned years ago and a continued amazement on how little it matters if these students are paying attention. This teacher seems to notice Yuya’s dozing, and stalks over with an annoyed expression that has Sora’s heart racing but it's Yuzu who causes the most damage in the encounter, the teacher looking no more than exasperated as the class snickers.

Mundane. Normal. Absolutely nothing at stake other than a possible bad grade on a test. Kids laughing together in amusement with their classmate, a simple joy with absolutely no fear hanging over it.

And here Sora is stiff in his seat, taking notes he doesn’t care for, just to try to appease the memory in his head.

It’s stupid. It’s beyond stupid. He hates every part of it, hates himself for not being to stop it.

When the next teacher calls off the lesson for a break with 15 minutes left to go it’s a sigh of relief, shoulders slumping as he presses his head against the table. Yuya had fallen back asleep some time ago and Yuzu had been sent out just a bit before the teacher had called for the end of class to go help out with something in the office. Sora was exhausted enough to be fine with it, he’d rather just pretend absolutely nothing around him was happening. Maybe if he did that for long enough it’d be the end of the day.

It was a great plan, a solid plan, until something started poking at him. He swipes his hand at it and the motion abates for a moment before starting up again, even more incessant than before.

“ _What_?” He snarls, sitting up and turning his head in the direction of the motion.

It’s the girl who sits beside him, hands held up in a placating manner as she grins over at him.

“Hey! I was wondering if you had a blue pen?” she asks, tilting her head in consideration, “Or maybe purple, either works.”

“What.” He says again, this time more out of genuine confusion.

“I’m working on this you know?” She says, lifting up her notebook to reveal some kind of mechanic fairy looking thing, it’s good in a weird kind of way. “And I think some colour accents would really make it pop.”

“And you’re asking me _why_?” He asks, flicking his gaze from the drawing back to the girl.

“Well, you look like you have a well stocked pencil case, thought I’d give it a shot.” She says cheerily, not at all deterred by his so far less than pleasant attitude.

He sighs, reaching over to grab it and tossing it at her. “Sure, knock yourself out, I have no idea what’s in there.” While Yuzu had managed to whittle everything down to a reasonable amount Yuya and Yoko had gone through all the various pens and pencils and shoved an unnecessary amount back in. What had ended up being in there was beyond him, he reached in to grab a pen and didn’t look back in, three highlighters and a light up pencil had fallen out with the motion, and it was enough to make him want to ignore the whole thing. How they’d managed to stuff so much into the tiny thing was beyond him.

The girl’s eyes glitter as she dumps the entire contents onto her desk, both of them watching in rapt amazement as the sound clatters on for an almost comical amount of time. “Wow,” she says as an eraser plops out at the end, giggling into her palm, “didn’t expect that. By the way, I’m Omuro Minami. You're that new kid right?” She asks as she sorts through the mess on her desk. “I hope you are anyways, I don’t remember anyone sitting there.”

Seriously? “Have you been paying attention at all today?”

The look she gives him makes _Sora_ feel like he’s the one being weird. “I told you, I’ve been working on this, it’s hard work making this come out right.”

He stares, watching as her smile widens, lifting up one of the pens in triumph. “Well then, yeah, today’s my first day, Shiunin Sora.”

“Nice to meet you Shiunin-kun,” She says, gaze firm on her notebook again as she hunches over it.

“Yeah, sure, same.” He replies, rolling his eyes as he leans one elbow against the desk to place his head on. “Just return that whenever.”

Omuro blinks, as if she had already forgotten the mess around her desk. “Oh!” She hums, picking out a couple more pens and shoving the rest back into the case. “I’ll take these just in case, you can have rest back, thanks a lot, you’re the best.” She cheers, handing it back to him and then proceeding to completely ignore him as she focuses back in on her drawing.

Sora has no idea where to even begin with that interaction, but somehow he feels lighter than he has since he was forced to introduce himself. And, as the next teacher walks in to begin his lesson, Sora clicks open his pen and draws something of his own. He’ll pay attention when the teacher says something worth listening to, but for now he wants to see how good he can draw Frightfur Chimera from memory.

When the bell rings for lunch Sora has a notebook full of notes (because English is hard) and what Sora will proudly say is a wonderful sketch of his beloved monster. He holds it up and feels the weird urge to show it to Omuro but when he looks over the girl is still bent over an orange pen clutched between her fingers another girl leaning over her desk and tapping her head with a bento box.

“Minami, it’s lunch, finish it later.” The girl says, and the rest of the conversation is lost to him as a different bento box lands heavily on his desk.

“Sora, it’s lunch time!” Yuya cheers.

“Oh? Finally awake?” He jokes as Yuya’s cheeks heat Yuzu sighing beside him.

“We stayed up late last night,” he defends, “and then I woke up early, give me a break.”

“You and Sora did the same thing, you don’t see him sleeping through class.” Yuzu replies with a shake of her head.

“It’s not nice to compare me and Yuya, one of us is actually a productive member of society.” He says, grinning as Yuzu laughs.

“Hey, I resent that!”

“He never said who was who, you know.” Yuzu retorts and Yuya’s mouth drops open, blinking his eyes like they’ll make the scene before him change.

“Well –well whatever!” He huffs, throwing his arms up, “come on, let’s go to the courtyard I’m starving.”

By the time they arrive students already fill the area, scattered beneath trees and around benches and Yuzu leads them between some bushes to a relatively secluded area, only a couple of other students scattered around. The grounds are filled with the sounds of laughter, students milling about in relief about reprieve from boring lessons.

Just boring, maybe a bit complicated, but just that. Going over notes, talking about some scene from a show that aired last night. Sora can’t really wrap his head around it, there really is no fear here, no undercurrent of unrest that permeates the student body. He knows it isn’t all perfect, he’s seen Yuya’s distress over an upcoming test to know that they all have their own concerns too. But a failed test is… just that, they just try harder the next time. These kids aren’t trying to move up in ranks by pushing each other down, aren’t worried about their scores getting them demoted or carded.

And perhaps that’s what is making him most uncomfortable about this whole thing. Not perhaps, he knows it, he doesn’t know how to relax in this building, doesn’t know how to accept that these students can goof off and do nothing and the consequences are so minimal. How Yuya can sleep through class and Omuro can draw the day away and no one gets in trouble aside from a stern word here and there. And yet when he’d done it himself, tried to let the tension relax from his shoulders and drift off it had been easy. Almost exciting, even, in the fact that it had almost been _fun_. And fun in school wasn’t something Sora understood outside of the vindictive glee he had felt when he’d crushed an opponent during a duel.

It was an innocent, guiltless kind of fun.

“Are you having a good first day so far Sora?” Yuzu asks, a playful kind of twinkle in her eyes.

“Could be better.” He teases.

“Well today we have gym last period, so don’t give up hope yet.” Yuya grins, pointing his chopsticks at him.

Somehow, the thought of that wasn’t comforting in the least.

“I won’t.” He replies dryly, giving Yuya a sharp smile through the discomfort settling easily and firmly in him.

But surely enough lunch ends, and the afternoon classes go by in a much easier fashion. The tension from the morning almost gone, even if it’s been replaced by upcoming dread. Sora almost enjoys history, if only for the fact that he’s never seen a teacher so enthused with the subject they are teaching, it was amusing to watch.

Then the bell rings again and this time the other students get up as well.

“Shiunin-kun,” Omuro says, holding out his pens and a piece of paper. “Here, for you!”

“… Isn’t this what you’ve been working on all day.” Staring at the finished piece, and where when he last saw it, it was mostly just the shape of it, a few defining lines, now it was striped in colour, a base of grey with his coloured pens used as highlights and accents.

“Yeah! But I couldn’t have finished it without your help, so I wanna give it to you. Think of it as like, a welcome present or something.” She says with a grin, placing it on his desk.

“Minami, let’s _go_ you’re going to be late again.” The girl from earlier says, tugging at Omuro’s arm.

“Hina, I’m making a friend.” She pouts.

 _Friend_. They’ve barely even spoken and yet she says it so easily.

“Make one later, when you aren’t at risk of detention for the third time this week.”

“So _mean_ , it’s not my fault Sensei didn’t understand my vision.”

The girl –Hina apparently, sighs. “Your artistic vision was taking a picture of some bees in the garden, _let’s go_.” She finishes firmly, tugging at Omuro hard enough that she jerks back.

“Bye Shiunin-kun, see you in gym!” She says cheerily as she’s dragged away, waving at him until they disappear through the door.

Sora stares at it in utter confusion until he feels eyes on his back. He turns to see Yuya and Yuzu standing by their desks, holding hands as they lean into each other, eyes glittering as impish smiles adorn their faces.

“Our little boy, making friends already.” Yuya says, voice wobbling like he wants to cry.

“They grow up so fast.” Yuzu continues just as teary voiced as Yuya.

“Shut up.” He hisses, cheeks heating in indignation and embarrassment. “Walk me to our next class.”

The two of them laugh teasing him all the way down to the gymnasium.

Sora doesn’t know why he was expecting anything else. He should have known that this would be nothing like the athletic lessons in Academia but it was still somehow a surprise to exit the changeroom and spot a bag of soft colourful balls in a bag along with everyone else and have the class erupt into cheers.

Just… what?

As it turned out what was dodgeball, a game where the goal was to avoid getting hit and to get the opposing out by hitting them. Simple and stupid and yet Sora was sure they were just as excited by this as they were by the prospect of watching a good duel.

The teacher led them through some stretches, and a couple laps around the perimeter of the gymnasium before finally gathering them in the middle and splitting the class in two.

“You all know the rules,” The teacher says, one hand holding the bag and the other holding a whistle just by her lips, “When I blow this you all run, and not a moment sooner.” She says, glaring at a group of boys in the corner.

She tilts the bag over, somehow all of them staying contained in the centre instead of rolling away and then walks over to the stage, hopping on top. She glances around to both sides before nodding, blowing the whistle sharp and precise and the class erupts into shouts and cheers as they dart towards the middle.

Sora stays back, watching the initial conflict through narrowed eyes. Predictably a handful of students on both sides immediately get hit, too slow to grab a ball and get out of the way in time. A couple others like him, who stayed back, move then, grabbing at the initial wave of thrown projectiles. A small handful stay by the walls, clearly with no interest in taking part and Sora scowls, brows furrowing in annoyance. _Cowards_ , his mind spits, avoiding battle is beyond –

He shakes his head. This is a _game_ , no stakes, no consequences, they can do whatever they want and it’s no big deal. Instinctively he moves out of the way as the air around him shifts, one hand reaching out to catch the ball.

He rolls it around in his palm, soft and squishy and so clearly made for entertainment and nothing else.

Well, he might as well win this if he’s here. Just because this is just for fun doesn’t mean Sora’s going to go easy on these poor suckers. Sora plays to win, after all.

It’s not particularly difficult, what makes it hard is that both Yuzu and Yuya landed on the opposing team and seem to have made it their goal to only attack him, and the fact that the rest of his team goes down much faster than the other side. By the time they’ve whittled his side down just to himself they still have a good seven or eight left. Despite his stamina by the time he’s gotten them down to three – Yuzu and two other boys, Yuya having been taken out when he’d gotten distracted laughing at one of his classmates getting hit – he’s panting. The balls don’t fly that fast, but they’re able to throw them a lot more often than he can.

Sora’s just about to let them have it, he’s proven he’s good at this, he outlasted his whole time, and he’s taken out more than half of their remaining forces. Admitting defeat rankles at him but losing here doesn’t _mean_ anything. Sora doesn’t have to win.

Doesn’t have to, but he rather wants to.

“Come on, Shiunin you can do it.” A voice shouts and Sora blinks, eyes snapping over to the side to find the rest of his team cheering him on. He can’t even tell who shouted because the rest of them are joining in now. Encouraging him and telling him not to give up.

It’s so stupid, the way they’re shouting and cheering as if Sora’s some last bastion of hope. It’s beyond stupid and yet still his mouth tugs up into a smile as he sidesteps another ball.

Alright, sure. It’s an entertainer’s job to please the crowd right? Sora won’t let them down.

So he wins.

And his team practically attacks him in their exuberant joy, swarming him with laughter and cheers as they congratulate him. It lasts until the teacher blows her whistle again, calling for attention as Yuya and Yuzu sidle up next to him grinning cheekily.

“Shut up.” He hisses again and the two of them just grin wider.

“We didn’t say anything.” They hum in unison and Sora is saved from enduring their idiocy any longer when the whistle blows again, sending them back to their teams.

The next round is much more even, and this time a couple of his classmates wave him over, tossing their balls at him with a grin.

It feels… nice. Fun.

Sora enjoys the period a lot more than he expected going in.

-

The school day comes to a close and Yuya droops over him, tired from a period of running around.

“Don’t you do more than this at You Show?” He asks, staring at Yuzu with pleading eyes to help him. She shrugs, adjusting her bag with a smile.

“Are you accusing me of not being tired at all? And just faking this?” Yuya gasps, throwing himself back to stand up straight.

“Yes, exactly.”

“You’d be right.” Yuzu says, “He does it all the time, sometimes he can even trick Gongenzaka to give him a piggyback ride.”

“Hey! I resent that, it’s good training for him too so that is a mutually beneficial relationship.”

“Sure it is.” He and Yuzu reply in deadpan unison.

“ _Anyways_. How was your first day Sora?” Yuya asks, skipping forward to turn to face him, walking backwards with his hands behind his head.

“It was okay.” He replies neutrally.

“Just okay?” Yuzu presses, drifting to walk closer beside him.

“ _Just okay.”_

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Now I think,” Yuya starts, Yuzu nodding sagely along with him, “that that is a lie. Because I’ll have you know me and Yuzu and have been watching you all day _and—_ ”

“Okay!” He interrupts, he doesn’t want to know whatever observation they’ve made on him. “It was nice, different. I didn’t hate it and I’m fine with coming again.”

Yuya’s eyes practically glow as the words leave his mouth, spinning around and practically hopping in place.

“Come on, let’s go we gotta hurry to You Show, the kids are going to be thrilled.” He says before running off, a clear skip to his step.

Yuzu laughs, shaking her head in exasperation. “I’m glad you had a good first day, Sora. I know they can feel a bit awkward, but don’t forget you can always rely on us.” She says firmly and for once Sora doesn’t avert his gaze as she says it, meeting it almost easily.

“Thanks,” he replies, smile soft. “Now come on we don’t want to get left behind.” He teases, grabbing Yuzu’s hand as they head off after Yuya.

There has been nothing particularly special about today but maybe that in itself is what has made it feel so unique.

Sora has had a very good day, and as they run down the sidewalk like careless, regular, children, he thinks that maybe he can get used to it. That he wants it to be something he _is_ used to, and for once he’s sure that one day it really will be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read all of this. genuinely wild.  
> Notes:  
> -Anime schools tell me nothing about how strict schools are about uniform over there. Sometimes animes have those like. check up episodes and those are the only ones characters seem to wear their uniform right. When I was in HS my teacher wouldnt let a boy come in until he tucked in his shirt. They made me put tape on my shoe because it had a white nike checkmark and they were supposed to be all black. Yuya wears green cargo pants. How Does It Work. Sora's uniform in this chapter is a Miami Middle Jacket cut like his Academia one a dark blue shirt (not collared, no tie) and the regular pants. Does he KEEP the regular pants. no fucking idea, I don't like thinking about what characters would wear or whether things look nice.  
> -Becoming Yuya's friend means joining the Yuya Defense Squad. No questions asked, please ignore Yuya telling you to Please Stop.  
> -I come up with a bunch of random thoughts for this fic that don't even like. Matter. For example why is Yuto the one to wake Yuya up? Yugo doesn't even wake up until like. noon unless you bother him. Yuri could've done it but then he would've done sometihng Mean so Yuto did it except Yuto DID take some petty pleasure out of freaking Sora out. Which is why Yuya was upset, don't be mean to his friends :(  
> \- Sora only ever sees Yuya as Yuya in this fic, but he does switch between them, Yugo and Yoko get along well, if he goes to heartland Yuto is usually there, and Yuri... well I actually want to write a fic with Sora and Yuri so I won't say what Yuri does.  
> -I will say Yuri was the one who laughed in that dodgeball scene, and then Yugo started laughing when it caused them to get hit. Get Fucked Kids.  
> -On more things that don't make it to fic. Vaguely mentioned actually, until this point Sora really does just spend like, 4-6 days a week off Standard helping out, he has been running himself into the ground but telling him to maybe calm down is an endeavor in failure. Chapter 2 picks off like, a month and a half? after chapter one.  
> \- I would like to point out that like. Exercise and Meditation and Healthy habits are good and you should do them, but aren't a replacement for therapy and I'm not saying it is. I just wanted Sora to form a healthy relationship with something that had a much harsher context in his life prior to now. 
> 
> Minor OC Notes:  
> -Ryotaro based loosely off of Terra KH, his name thus comes Terra's VA. I really dont know why, was thinking of characters that would go to a Dojo and Terra came to mind and then I was like. Actually. I want them to be friends.  
> -Omuro even MORE loosely based off of Robbopi vrains but like. an in between existence of maid ver and gremlin ver, this makes sense in my head. Name is thus Roppobi's VA's first name, and the last name of Yusaku's kid VA  
> -Omuro was a nameless character but I did decide two things about from the conception of the idea of Sora going to school. Friend would be a girl (because YGO deprives me of female characters) and they wouldn't play Duel Monsters. Just wanted to give Sora a friend just, completely disconnected from the whole thing. Think it would be a novel experience, especially because maybe really young kids and older adults might not play, but a kid their age? Wild. She likes the aesthetic of it but doesn't really care for the game despite having a firm understanding of it (i think not knowing how to play in the YGO universe is like. impossible). She does however like Yuya's entertainment dueling because that makes it fun to watch. The most well thought out of the 4 minor oc's that speak in this chapter, she originally played a much different role in befriending Sora but then I was like. nah. this instead. Sorry to break it to you Omuro but sharing pens doesn't make you friends, this isnt kindergarden.  
> -While I'm at it Hiwatari is a name of a character from DN Angel, no idea where Hina comes from, this only makes me think of Asahina from DR1, these characters have no set personality in my head other than. The Customer Service Experience and Tired Friend. Most random one off characters I use are derived from a manga or anime I've read at some point.
> 
> I could go on but I literally have less than 700 of the initial 5k characters I started with so. Lmao. No more. This fic is now marked complete in the same way it was marked complete before. I might still add more, or I've been considering leaving this complete and making it instead a seperate lil one-shot collection. We'll See. I'm going to try to write OTHER arc v fics now though, so if I do it'll be awhile.
> 
> (However, do YOU have sora arc v fic ideas? send them to me. please. literally begging you)
> 
> Regardless, thank you all who have read this fic to the end! It has been an undoubtedly self-indulgent thing and I'm glad others have liked it, there's possibly a bit too much love in this fic lmao

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thanks for reading!  
> [Tumblr](http://twinsky.tumblr.com)/[Twitter](https://twitter.com/twinsky72)


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